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21 Portraits Of Collectors And Their Unique Collections By Photographer James Mollison
Interview With Artist
James Mollison is captivating viewers once again with his latest series, "Collectors & Collections." Inspired by an invitation from David McKendrick and Lee Belcher in 2014 to photograph collectors in a style reminiscent of his acclaimed work, "Where Children Sleep" (you can click here to see Bored Panda's post), Mollison's project has evolved into an ongoing collaboration. Eager to explore the intriguing world of collectors, the artist invites the public to share their knowledge of captivating individuals immersed in the art of collecting.
In Mollison's artistic vision, there is a harmony between the collectors and their cherished possessions. The photographer's keen eye captures a striking balance, allowing the viewer to imagine the seamless connection between each portrait and the corresponding room. Thanks to this unique project, we can glimpse the various collections of well-known figures like Iris Apfel, Luciano Benetton, Roberto Baggio, and many more.
More info: Instagram | twitter.com | jamesmollison.com
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Iris Apfel
The New York style legend has an amazing array of costume creations
Bored Panda reached out to James Mollison to find out more about his series featuring unique collections together with their owners. We wanted to know what initially drew him to the concept of photographing collectors and their collections. Mollison shared with us: “I was commissioned by David McKendrick & Lee Belcher from B.A.M. London when they relaunched Christie’s Magazine. They had seen my ‘Where Children Sleep’ project and wondered about taking inspiration from the format I had used to photograph collectors for the magazine.”
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#2
Friedrich Wilhelm Prinz Von Sachsen-Gessaphe
The interior designer discusses his fascination with miniature furniture
StrangeOne 2 years ago
I love miniature stuff and doll houses. Would love to get into this as a hobby but I wouldn't know where to put it in my already full apartment.
#3
Cristiano Spiller
The DJ and record producer on his anarchic collection of Lego figurines
J Adams 2 years ago (edited)
No the kid who was in ‘3rd rock from the sun’ and then want on to have quite a successful film career edit: Joseph gordon levitt
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Betsy Ray 2 years ago
I thought he would collect Peanuts-related items. This is much more interesting.
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We asked James to tell us about his process for selecting and approaching the collectors featured in the project. The photographer told us: “Christie’s wanted to feature certain collectors, some who had interesting collections, others less so. But I was also able to suggest collectors I had read about or thought would be visually engaging. Examples would be Roberto Baggio and his incredible collection of hunting decoys, Rino Ferro, a former butcher who had a collection of harpoons, or my friend Cristiano Spiller, a DJ who had a collection of Lego figurines. Or when they wanted to do a series related to fashion I was able to add the New York style legend- Iris Apfel, and her amazing costume collections.”
The photographer added: “Some of the contemporary art collectors that Christie’s suggested were very difficult to photograph in this format because of the size of the artworks, and their value (a lot of moving around was needed for these pictures).”
#4
Liz West
The sculptor started collecting Spice Girl memorabilia at the age of 11. Starting with a pencil case and leading to donations from Mel B
StrangeOne 2 years ago
Those platforms were actually fun to wear and not as heavy and hard as they appear. The whole sole was that rubbery, sneaker sole stuff, and partially hollow inside the platform with just some structural support grid layers, or layers of a sturdy foam. After a while the bottoms would tear and get rocks and pebbles inside.
PeepPeep the duck 2 years ago (edited)
Yes I remember when my 1997 ones finally died in 2006 and I asked a cobbler to fix them and he peeled the insides apart and showed the squished worn out foam inside 😂 he couldn’t fix them even if he wanted too, was a sad moment, I used al my pocket money and birthday money combined to get those shoes when I was like 10 years old 😂 they died cos I worked in them as a waitress etc so everyday wear
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#5
Simon Costin
The art director & set designer on his macabre curiosities and folk art, gathered over a lifetime of trawling flea markets
I’mSoEmotional 2 years ago
I know someone who has a house full of things like this. His parties are very interesting.
MellonCollie 2 years ago
What a gorgeous collection! I'm missing the point of why it is called macabre?
Next, we were wondering if Mollison noticed any recurring themes or patterns in the collectors' personalities or approaches to collecting. We found out that: “There is definitely an obsessive nature to collecting, I was most drawn to collectors who did it for a love of an object or thing, rather than some of the collectors of art for whom it was maybe more for status or investment. In Germany, I photographed Jens Veerbeck, who collected vintage toasters. He had started buying one at a flea market when he was at college. Then another toaster a few months later… when I photographed him he had hundreds, and there was a real beauty seeing them all together.”
#6
Gerald Ford
The business leader on the toy banks - and the real ones - he has bought
#7
Perry Margouleff
The musician and music producer on a collection of 20th century American guitars inspired by his passion for playing
smugdruggler 2 years ago
I wonder what year that Gibson flying V is. It was originally released in 1967 but was a complete flop. Then in 1969 Jimi Hendrix played one and suddenly everyone loved it so it was re - released. You can now buy the 1969 model for a few hundred pounds. If you want the '67 model though, it will cost you around £70,000! If you've got one, look after it lol.
Gabby Ghoul 2 years ago
The Flying V is older than that. Gibson came up with 3 "futuristic" designs in the late 1950s--Flying V, Explorer, and Moderne. Flying V went to market in either '58 or '59 but, as you say, was not immediately successful.
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Huddo's sister 2 years ago
I don't have a musical bone in my body, but in year 9 Visual Communication & Design I had an assignment on guitars, culminating in designing our own one. Since then I have loved the beauty and ingenuity of them. My stepdad has a gorgeous Fender Stratocaster Sunburst he bought from the US. I also love the fact that he used to work for Maton making guitars for a while when he was younger. I also still have the picture of the guitar I designed in class, the body of it stylised initials of BB King!
Lastly, the photographer added the final thought about “Collectors & Collections”: “A project born out of ‘Where Children Sleep’… Not serious but I hope a fun portrait of the weird world of collecting.” We encourage you to visit James’ website and learn more about this interesting series, as well as other projects the photographer worked on in the past.
#8
Wolfgang Ruf & Martin Kamer
The rivals turned collaborators on their peerless costume collection
Nicole Vertone 2 years ago
A collection to very literally handle with kid gloves... well, cotton gloves. Beautiful workmanship.
#9
Luciano Benetton
The founder of the fashion empire has so far commissioned about 10,000 miniature works for his growing collection
Kookamunga 2 years ago
Yes, his collection is tiny artworks, all identically sized, that he either commissions/buys, or are donated. He now has 26K pieces from artists all over the planet and he calls the collection "Imago Mundi" (Latin for "Image of the World")
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John’s Girl 2 years ago
Everything! Hence the name of the collection. English - “Image of the world”.
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Karina Duebner
The fashion and interior designer on the Central Asian fabrics she collects
#11
Kim Hastreiter
The publisher and co-editor of indie-favorite magazine Paper on an art collection that tells the story of her life
#12
Anne Dell Prevost
A taste for objets d’art and 18th century French furniture, inspired by her grandmother’s South Carolina home
Poppycat 2 years ago
Versailles is like my dream home, I want the entire property to myself
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#13
Rino Ferro
The former butcher on the poetic beauty of harpoons shaped by hand
Mary Kelly 2 years ago
i like it when people collect things that others think have little to no value...it's a collection of pure love...
primeline31 2 years ago (edited)
These are all eel spears and fishing spears. Notice that his red shirt has dried salt water marks (which will rinse out in fresh water.)
#14
Roberto Baggio
The former footballer, a star player for Fiorentina, Juventus, and Italy, collects hunting paraphernalia
Kookamunga 2 years ago
I bought a house (sold long ago) many moons ago - the previous owner made duck decoys. He left probably 50 all around the house/property. They were EVERYWHERE. Just had a flashback.
PolymathNecromancer 2 years ago
My Grandma and Grandpop lived across the street from Washington Senators star George Washington Case, and after his Major League time he made duck decoys for decades. I always found the decoys' intricacy very interesting and enjoyed seeing them.
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Shelly Graham 2 years ago
Hand carved decoys are not only incredibly beautiful, but they truly embody the spirit of the animal depicted!
#15
Harald Falckenberg
A frequent writer on contemporary art, a doctor of law, and a Professor of Art Theory at the Hamburg Academy of Fine Arts
Mimi M 2 years ago
Thank you for saving us from the Horror of the Unfinished Gestalt. (I.e., some part of our brain left to wonder for the rest of our lives - what does he collect??) Like - in the olden days - recording 16 episodes of a series and the VCR conking out on the last few minutes of the finale. Fie on the writer who leaves out the critical information, like - what in tarnation does this guy collect? Especially with the intriguing visuals...
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#16
David Gainsborough Roberts
A vast collection of iconic memorabilia associated with the famous and the infamous of the 20th century
Weasel Wise 2 years ago
Why not call it like really is, "Pervy old man who collects memorabilia of pinups". Not judging but that is what it is.
Lyone Fein 2 years ago
Are you making that claim about everyone who enthuses about beautiful women and/or men? What about women who purchase those sexy men calendars? What about all of those in ancient Greece who worshiped the goddess of beauty? What about all artists through the centuries who painted and sculpted nude women, using live models?
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Awkward lady 2 years ago
As mentioned here, they weren't considered racist back in the day in the UK.
Load More Replies... Auntriarch 2 years ago
Infamous? Then he may be a twat like the arsehole who not only made a museum of famous criminals, but invited said criminals to visit his museum and treated them to lunch. Yuk.
Rowboat 2 years ago
I don't know why people have down voted you but this guy was the owner of the Marilyn Monroe museum. I don't know about the one you're talking about, there are hundreds of crime museums in the world.
Load More Replies... Rocky Horror Panda 2 years ago
With that outfit, I thought his collection was going to be clown clothes.
#17
Inti Ligabue
As well as running the family catering business, he continues to add to the collection of tribal art begun by his father
Max Fox 2 years ago
When speaking of tribal art, "collecting" is often actually "robbing". People like Ligabue and his father generally assuage their consciences by buying stolen art from fences, sorry, I meant to say "reputable art dealers who would never, ever, ever, even THINK of dealing in art or sacred items stolen from indigenous peoples, art the Nazis stole from Jews, or anything like that, of course".
Beans 2 years ago
That's a big assumption. We have tribal art in my family. My parents bought it all in Kenya from Kenyan artisans. None of it was stolen or bought from fences. That said I dunno where this guy got these from so maybe you're right.
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#18
Gail Cook
The doll collector on how a present for her daughter sparked an enduring passion
Kookamunga 2 years ago
You just know at night they are plotting schemes against her. Dolls-1987...607389.jpg 
Deborah B 2 years ago
China dolls are creepy. Apologies to whichever future person uncovers the china doll I buried in the back yard when I was 10. I particularly apologise for the mummy-style wrapping over the smashed face. In retrospect, this was not the right way to dispose of an accidentally broken doll.
#19
Paul Smith
Paul Smith, The fashion designer on the extraordinary number of cycling jerseys he owns
Mark Bayliss 2 years ago
For some reason I thought that the ones hanging on the wall were children's clothes!!
#20
Liu Lan
An entrepreneur, Liu is passionate about the unique life experiences she has gained through collecting contemporary art
JD From Paris 2 years ago
Those are paintings by Chinese artist Zhang Xiaogang.
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Ute & Rudolf Scharpff
Over the decades, their collection has grown to include some 200 works by 35 international artists
StrangeOne 2 years ago
If that's all it takes to get a fricken painting sold and in a museum... Looks like the hand paintings my kid did when she was a toddler. Maybe I could've handed in the dresser she painted and she could have made bank. ... Dammit. I swear people, any destroyed, messed up thing you own just send it off to the art museums.
Nancy T 2 years ago
Lol. I was at MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) in NYC a few years back. One of my favorite art museums! They had a Yoko Ono exhibit. UGH!!!! It was not art. It was nonsense.
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MCathenaE 2 years ago
I don't understand these numbers. I am but a lowly peasant and do not own anywhere near 200 pieces of art, but I do know that I easily own works by more than 35 artists just by buying artwork directly from an artist. I know my collection isn't ALL museum quality, but I do have a fair collection. 🤷♀️
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What do you think ?
sofacushionfort 2 years ago
I too am scouring my local Goodwill stores, amassing a collection of vintage egg-beaters and mismatched forks, which I will donate to a museum at an inflated valuation for tax write-off.
Auntriarch 2 years ago
I will flood the market with my multi coloured spatulae!
Load More Replies... Betsy Ray 2 years ago (edited)
Such a good thread. I love knowing about collectors and what they collect. Not that each collection is interesting, but why they're collected is.
Ducking_Mad 2 years ago
Yes. I would really love to hear the stories behind all the collections.
Load More Replies... Mimi M 2 years ago
This post was nice to look at (including the great pics of the collectors themselves), but would have benefitted from a paragraph of information on each collector/collection.
jenjie.newt 2 years ago
Yes it was frustratingly sparse, even google wasn't particularly helpful for most of them
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Reirei 2 years ago
So guys, what weird and wonderful things do you collect?
I collect miniature houses amongst other things :) XkD2SKr.jpeg 
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
I collect miniature bottles (mostly perfume) 287977896_...1dd967.jpg 
Marion Connolly 2 years ago
I have a collection of Bookmarks, easy souvenirs to collect from travels
Dave Hinckley 2 years ago
Where did these people get the money for these collections? How many people could that feed? It's like those mansion in Newport, RI that were built on the sweat and blood of children working in mills.
D Peterson 2 years ago
I'm not saying that preserving history or art isn't worthwhile but it is interesting where old, mostly white people choose how to use their wealth. I admit it's better than spending 50 million dollar for a boat, as did Bezos. It's interesting how the wealthy choose to use their power & money to acquire instead of helping to improve the lives of the people they crushed to obtain their wealth & power.
sofacushionfort 2 years ago
I too am scouring my local Goodwill stores, amassing a collection of vintage egg-beaters and mismatched forks, which I will donate to a museum at an inflated valuation for tax write-off.
Auntriarch 2 years ago
I will flood the market with my multi coloured spatulae!
Load More Replies... Betsy Ray 2 years ago (edited)
Such a good thread. I love knowing about collectors and what they collect. Not that each collection is interesting, but why they're collected is.
Ducking_Mad 2 years ago
Yes. I would really love to hear the stories behind all the collections.
Load More Replies... Mimi M 2 years ago
This post was nice to look at (including the great pics of the collectors themselves), but would have benefitted from a paragraph of information on each collector/collection.
jenjie.newt 2 years ago
Yes it was frustratingly sparse, even google wasn't particularly helpful for most of them
Load More Replies... Reirei 2 years ago
So guys, what weird and wonderful things do you collect?
I collect miniature houses amongst other things :) XkD2SKr.jpeg
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
I collect miniature bottles (mostly perfume) 287977896_...1dd967.jpg
Marion Connolly 2 years ago
I have a collection of Bookmarks, easy souvenirs to collect from travels
Dave Hinckley 2 years ago
Where did these people get the money for these collections? How many people could that feed? It's like those mansion in Newport, RI that were built on the sweat and blood of children working in mills.
D Peterson 2 years ago
I'm not saying that preserving history or art isn't worthwhile but it is interesting where old, mostly white people choose how to use their wealth. I admit it's better than spending 50 million dollar for a boat, as did Bezos. It's interesting how the wealthy choose to use their power & money to acquire instead of helping to improve the lives of the people they crushed to obtain their wealth & power.
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