The Redemption of Things: Collecting and Dispersal in German Realism and Modernism

Collecting gives permanence, unity, and meaning to scattered and ephemeral objects, but it also involves displacing, immobilizing, and potentially disfiguring them. Samuel Frederick's book "The Redemption of Things" explores this paradox by focusing on objects that challenge notions of collectability, such as ephemera, detritus, and trivialities. Through close readings of works by various authors and an experimental film, Frederick demonstrates how collecting can be a poetic activity that makes the world of scattered things uniquely palpable and knowable.

Format: Hardback
Length: 348 pages
Publication date: 15 January 2022
Publisher: Cornell University Press

Collecting is often perceived as an activity that bestows permanence, unity, and meaning on otherwise scattered and ephemeral objects. However, in Samuel Frederick's book "The Redemption of Things," he emphasizes that collecting things also involves displacing, immobilizing, and potentially disfiguring them. He argues that the dispersal of objects, which may seem antithetical to the collector's task, is essential to the logic of gathering and preservation.

Through meticulous close readings of works by various authors, such as Gotthelf, Stifter, Keller, Rilke, Glauser, and Frisch, as well as an experimental film by Oskar Fischinger, Frederick illustrates how the difficulties posed by these fleeting, fragile, and forsaken objects help to reconceptualize collecting as a poetic activity that makes the world of scattered things uniquely palpable and knowable.

Frederick explores how collecting can be seen as a means of redeeming the transient and forgotten aspects of existence. He argues that by collecting these objects, we can create a sense of connection and intimacy with the past, even as we acknowledge the inevitable loss and decay that accompany the process of gathering and preservation.

One of the key themes in "The Redemption of Things" is the idea of the "forgotten object." Frederick argues that many objects that are considered trivial or unimportant by society are actually rich in meaning and significance. He explores how these objects can be seen as symbols of the passing of time, the impermanence of existence, and the complexities of human experience.

Through his analysis of various works of art and literature, Frederick demonstrates how the collector's gaze can reveal new insights and meanings in these forgotten objects. He shows how the act of collecting can be a form of meditation and contemplation, allowing the collector to connect with the world around them on a deeper level.

In addition to his close readings of literary and artistic works, Frederick also examines an experimental film by Oskar Fischinger, which explores the concept of collecting through the lens of animation and sound. Frederick argues that the film captures the essence of collecting as a poetic activity that makes the world of scattered things uniquely palpable and knowable.

Overall, "The Redemption of Things" is a thought-provoking and insightful book that challenges our assumptions about collecting and the objects we collect. Through his meticulous analysis and thoughtful exploration, Frederick demonstrates how collecting can be a means of redeeming the transient and forgotten aspects of existence, creating a sense of connection and intimacy with the past, and revealing new insights and meanings in the world around us.

Weight: 28g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501761553