Cabinet of Curiosities

This Cabinet of Curiosities refers back to the wonder rooms or memory theatres of the Renaissance, collections of objects whose categorical boundaries were unclear: Natural history, religious relics, art objects – all were included in these princely collections. The human skull is the type of object once treasured as a memento mori (a reminder of death), later collected as a scientific specimen, and now ubiquitous as an inspiration for gothic accessories.

Other objects on display include a death mask, Victorian mourning jewelry, a top hat tattooed with the image of a bat, and accessories that incorporate bird skulls, talons, and wings – alluding to themes such as death, time, and transcendence.