CBC Day 6 Interview: "The 9/11 gift shop: kitsch and grief"

Thursday, May 29, 2014

CBC Day 6 Interview: "The 9/11 gift shop: kitsch and grief"

An interview I did recently with Brent Bambury on his program Day 6 with the CBC. You can listen here.

The 9/11 gift shop: kitsch and grief

Thursday, May 22, 2014 | Categories: Day 6 Blog

The National September 11th Memorial Museum opened this week, displaying wreckage, destroyed emergency vehicles, and photos of the victims. But the museum drew fire from critics for its gift shop, which sells cheese trays, coffee mugs, sweatshirts, and plush rescue dogs. Producer Jane Cramer spoke to visitors about their gift shop purchases on the museum's opening day, and Brent spoke with Andrew Marietta, a man who has amassed the world's largest collection of 9/11 memorabilia.

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About My Collection

I've been collecting objects ever since the events of September 11, 2001. My collection can be classified as everyday items that reflect the events of 9/11 in their appearance. Some of these items are defined as collectible items, but the majority were available to consumers as household goods. I have hundreds of objects, and I use this blog to help document and "catalogue" them. A number of themes also emerge and are reflected by my collection. I felt that these objects needed to be preserved and their story told.

Themes:
1) September 11th influenced/impacted all material culture (consumer goods, collectibles, etc) in way that has never occurred (in terms of the extent, types of goods, etc)

2) Connection of remembrance and memorializing to material culture (basically the idea that buying something will make someone feel better and connect them to that event).

3) The story of each object and its purpose

4) The possibility that corporations used 9/11 as an opportunity and motivation to increase sales (it wasn't just about donating a portion of the proceeds)

5) Companies carried out corporate curating. This "process" involves the production of a material good/object tied directly to 9/11, where a corporation implements their own interpretation and ties themselves forever to the events of September 11th. For example, American Express created a book about the impact of 9/11 of their company and employees. This book is their corporate curated object.

6) My collection as the ideal symbol of American consumerism, and my effort in assembling it as being an American consumer

Collecting September 11th - Collecting 9/11 - Collecting 911 - Twin Towers - World Trade Center

Thursday, May 29, 2014