Absence.

Absence: A mind among objects

A reflection on collecting, clutter and rejected belongings

Pamela Piatkowiak

Written Master Thesis

Master of Arts in Interior Architecture, Maastricht Institute of Arts, University of Applied Sciences, ZUYD

With the help and support of Professor Marion Zwarts

Absence: A mind among objects

A reflection on collecting, clutter and rejected belongings

If only I could meet you.. Georges!

Introduction

My interest in this topic came from the first location I lived in after coming to Maastricht, Netherlands, in 2015. I had an opportunity to rent an apartment for an indeterminate time – ‘antikraak’1. I started to call it an ‘experimental home.’ I have placed only a few furniture pieces: a wooden table/desk, a couple of wooden chairs, and a couch. All were actually not mine – I found them on the street, or some were left behind by the previous tenant. I slept on a thin mattress on the floor. The only decorations were pots with plants, paintings resting next to the walls, and a stack of books. The setting of my place was quite elementary, although my 50 meters square of an experimental home - the first time by myself - gave me an environment to contemplate some interesting topics…

Being aware that this living space was temporary and would not give me a sense of settlement, rejection, and limiting my belongings was an under-conscious result. Later on, I wanted to learn how (the amount of) objects influence our sense of belonging, security, and comfort in our living spaces. I wanted to know why people voluntarily limit their living spaces or/and the number of their possessions. As time passed, more questions arose, and my subject of interest evolved into the relationship with objects and their influence on our mindful presence in our homes.

Inquiring about which objects influence my feeling of belonging and encourage my attentiveness and mindful presence, I started researching relationships between people and their objects. From a perspective of interior architecture, absence and absent-mindedness are challenging topics.

1antikraak – anti-squatting, cheap temporary rental space in exchange for being the guard of that space� The property can be for, e�g�, an old school building, a former office, farm, or a row house with the option of renting working space or living space� The owner of the building safes it that way against illegal squatting� The topic of antikraak also has unfavourable opinions, though I was lucky and had no inconveniences with an agency

In this thesis titled: Absence: A mind among objects, the primary focus is to gain a broader perspective on the relationship between objects and users or owners, mainly in a home setting� For example, how can our belongings support our mindful presence? Or is there a limit of things that can start distracting us when excessed? By presenting the polarities or extremums - of overwhelming clutter and an empty room of an extreme minimalist, we begin to understand how objects can work in our favour and influence being present and mindful �

In the first chapter, I look at the verb having regarding changes in our language� Then, I continue by presenting different perspectives on the relationships between an owner and his belongings and present a variety of ways in which we can see our surroundings due to differences in individual and cultural perceptions� Further, I question the meaning of a table in the context of influence on our belongingness to the place� Later on, I find a perfect name for furniture pieces that are physically heavy, seem rooted, and belong only to one place�

In the second chapter: Having more, I focus on the phenomena of forming collections, private and those dedicated to public display� I will present two very different examples of people who surround themselves with more than an average number of possessions� In the case of collectors, it is a matter of being fascinated by their unique objects and having room to store and display them respectfully and carefully� On the other hand, those whose homes have no capacity for free space, hoarders, have a dramatically different relationship with their objects and an obsessive need to keep the least useful things we can imagine� This chapter presents my fascination with Georges Perec’s2 investigative questions, depictions, and neologisms� I support this thesis with his

(1936-1982)

2 Georges Perec

- French novelist, essayist and filmmaker� Son of Polish Jews, his mother war murdered in the Holocaust� His most known work is Life: A User’s Manual (1978) - novel with complicated structure, describing life of people living in a city house� The floorplan of the house was placed on a chess board and spaces in which plot follows are based on Knight’s tour

unusual perspective and artistry� The writer’s observations of what is daily, ordinary, and even  infra-ordinary3 often concern everyday objects and random activities in the sense of existential divagation�

In the third chapter: Having less, I present examples of the extreme rejection of belongings, which has roots either in belief systems or criticism of overwhelming consumerism� In both cases, limiting possession (to the extreme) is reasoned in finding more (mind) space� For example, a Buddhist monk relies on only eight objects and gifts from the monastery's community, which directly connect to his pursuit of enlightenment� Further in this chapter, I include more references to the work of Georges Perec concerning daily objects and routines� I present the disparity between routine and ritual � Finally, I mention two contemporary artists who refer to the tea ceremony topic as a commentary on modern society's challenges as disconnection from nature, silence, or even self�

The subject of that thesis originates from pragmatic reasons, continued as research, and soon became a passion for philosophical divagation in that matter�

3 infra-ordinary - a neologism, term created by Georges Perec used as an opportunity, used as an opposition to extraordinary� In his work Perec describes common places, reaches to his memory, observe and ask questions as What is under your wallpaper... He remarks that in a daily paper we can read about all but not daily events such as accidents, murders or robbery� Perec describes and ask questions on daily objects, routines and his own surroundings

I. About objects

The word object originates in the late 14th century and means: a tangible thing, something perceived with or presented to the senses� Discovering further etymology of the word object, we can see that it came from the Latin word obiectus, meaning that which presents itself to the sight� As an observer looks at an object, that object is actively presenting itself to the observer� It is a symbolic situation�

Objects influence our senses, especially our vision; they give us feelings and emotions� We tend to say that particular objects have meaning, aura, or presence� So it is interesting to think that we are projecting our attachment or appreciation on them� But also in a symbolic way – the object presents itself to us�

The symbolic representation of objects is part of our society's communication� To mention only a few, an hourglass, a door, a book, or a skull are readable universal symbols of a passing time, opportunity, knowledge, and death�

About having objects

Living without having something is virtually impossible, said philosopher Erich Fromm1� In his manifesto titled To Have or To Be2, the philosopher distinguishes two modes: mode of having and mode of being.

We can gain a new perspective when we take a closer look at the verb to have—the word having distances a subject from us when using nouns in speech with a verb  to have� We have a body; we have belongings, but also we have a problem� Interestingly, our language changed with time, and according to the author, that verb was not used that frequently before� Say, fifty years ago, one would say: I am troubled, or I am happily married, or  I cannot sleep instead of  having a problem, having a happy marriage, or having insomnia� Therefore, those modes show a significant difference in using those verbs in context because:

Having refers to things, and things are fixed and describable. Being refers to experience, and human eperience is, in principle, not describable.3

1 Fromm Erich (1900-1980) - German sociologist, humanistic philosopher, social psychologist

2 Fromm, E �, To Have or To Be, Continuum, 2008

3 Fromm, E , p 71

Relationship with objects

People’s sedentary life started when man started growing plants and organised its life around it, gathering necessary objects to work and build a shelter. Gathering objects in one’s space is based on possessive mode of settling.

During a lifetime, we gradually become owners of more and more objects� As children, we had our favorite toys, which we carried everywhere� We collected shells, stones, or car die-casts� Some of those have been rejected – opening a new, more grownup chapter in our life� Later on, passing objects to the next generation, or inheriting them, upholds a cycle, manifesting the family’s continuity and persistence/ permanence� Often, we attach sentimental values to antiques or inherited pieces� Stories and memories of objects can support one’s feeling of rootedness and recognition of a family’s particular identity� This rootedness, settlement, and reserving these past qualities are characteristics of the traditional family� Monumental furniture, uni-functional and heavy as a solid wooden victorian era cabinet, represent so-called household gods1 � On the contrary, Jean Baudrillard2 attributes a modern family with light, moveable, and multifunctional furniture – things that fold and unfold, are concealed, appear only when needed � What the author suggests is that relationships with our objects influence other relationships: with family and society�

On an example of a comparison between victorian home and 1960s living space – Baudrillard describes a connection to the objects� The author of The System of Objects3 considers functional furniture of modern architecture as detracting a man to only its user� Simply, if something serves us only with its function, we become just users of that object4� The connection, symbolic and sentimental val-

1 household gods - term used in The System of Objects, p 16

2 Baudrillard, J - (1929-2007) French philosopher, sociologist and cultural theorist

3 Baudrillard J , The System of Objects, Verso, 2002

4 Baudrillard p 18

note: In a daily conversation regarding objects, I have realized a remarkable difference in the context of things between my Mom and me. My Mom says she does not like anything ‘old.’ She does not like decorative or useless knick-knacks. This is because my Mom grew up in times of lack of choice - the communistic system’s result was that almost everybody had the same furniture at home. On the other hand, I grew up in times of access, excess, and individual choice. Often, people older than me remained disliking, disapproving, feeling even disgusted by anything reminding them of ‘PRL times (Polish People’s Republic times).’ I was growing up in times when it was a ‘shame’ to a thrift store or shop for second-hands. People associated that with necessity resulting from scarcity. Later, being a teenager, I observed that spell was removed from vintage furniture (veneer dressers, lamps, clocks). My friends and I were hunting at a flea market to find cheap (back then) replacements for our ‘new, better, massive-pine, childish desks, and wardrobes’.Today, and for many years, vintage Scandinavian or polish furniture came back with all their glory, and their prices can be pretty high. It is an investment in high-quality, original, stylish items and an appreciation for craftsmanship for many. Though, those designs came back in mass-produced, cheap versions since there was a demand for them due to changing trends. For my Mom, they will stay ‘ugly’ and ‘old,’ which is fascinating - I have learned how associations and memories can influence our personal choices regarding objects of everyday use.

ues dissolve in practicality� The functionality is a myth in which we still sometimes believe5� If we become users of objects - how does it make us feel in our homes? How does it influence our feeling of belongingness to that place? Pallasmaa calls this phenomenon metaphysical homelessness - a situation in which objects fulfil needs of our body but do not create any attachment to a place�

In our houses, we find memorabilia: the pieces kept or collected that hold references to people or past events� Stored in boxes or exhibited on a wall – as glimpses of the past – memorabilia resemble our ancestors’ achievements or our travels� A collector of objects carefully displays his artefacts on a pedestal or in a glass vitrine – the emptiness around it emphasises its importance� Precious jewellery is held in a safety vault – secure and hidden for the eyes�

There are objects of desire in our dreams or wish-list, and we have expectations towards them� Some give us joy, comfort us, or please us with their aesthetics� From some, we expect their functionality, and some can be the only decorative addition to our outfit or living room� Objects as personal items allow us to create visual identification, communicate with the world, and serve as an expression of one’s character, taste, and culture�

Some look for authentic, historical objects, antiques, qualitative or unique artifacts, or troves from distant places� Unfortunately, nowadays, we can sometimes be tricked into purchasing ‘authentic looking’ utensils without realizing, or realizing later that we just bought a mass-produced product� On the other hand, visual sense dominated, and the surface level and color of objects and ma5

small pleasures of life

to work or write at a creeper bordered window // to see the sunlight spread across the floor // to stand and look out without glare // to see the view / vegetation / trees / the ground while sitting //

to see out from the bathroom / or perhaps be doubly enclosed //

to have easy access to possessions without sensing their presence all the time // to sit comfortably and read or talk of an evening //

to close wooden shutters in winter

terials tend to play a significant role� For example, a wooden table for some can mean the same as a table that looks as if it is wooden (veneer or printed laminate)� Possibly, for some, these are not going to make a difference, but the smell, temperature, and sound of those two objects in comparison will be varied �

Although besides aesthetics, sentimental value, or market worth, objects can be recognised with sign value� Things can play a role in the socio-economical status context and that value allows for recognition as part of a privileged social group� In this case, the functionality of an object is considered secondary� For example, a Rolex6 buyer may value it as a functional watch, but most likely, it’s selection aims to emphasise certain social status7�

There is a noticeable difference in the number of important for us things we have at home and when we carry with us while traveling� As a result, we often rely on a very limited number of possessions when en route� Before the journey, we often cannot imagine reducing the carry-on luggage, which later turns out that we function perfectly fine with only essentials� The difference in terms of the importance of objects slightly polarises in genders� British Journal of Social Psychology presents a short abstract of studies on twenty men and twenty women:

This study explores the types of personal possessions women and men consider important and the meanings they attach to them. Twenty female and 20 male subjects listed their five most treasured possessions and then described in an open-ended format the reasons why they considered each of these important. The data, which were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively,

note: If, in the past, we were unhealthily stuck in family homes, maybe now we lack a sense of rootedness. Reading the phrase ‘household gods’ made me recall particular furniture from my grandparents’ house. A bureau, buffet, and a sideboard with an oval mirror in a living room. Those three pieces are made by deconstructing from one ample cupboard. When I asked my grandfather how he created that, he sketched it for me. Another heavy piece of furniture was on an oak-wood table, which seemed to be rooted into the floor. That Oak Table became a symbol, an oneiric vision of my dream, future living space, my home. The phenomenological meaning of a table was depicted by Pallasmaa as it has a ‘structuring and symbolic role’ (Encounters 1, p. 122). The table is one of the most uncomplicated constructions, serves to gather people around to discuss or dine together, and serves as a workspace, while a wooden surface collects traces of actions and stories of the daily and of the festive.

confirmed the expectation that women and men do not differ greatly in terms of the types of possessions they see as important. The results support the two general hypotheses that (a) men tend to see possessions as important mainly because of their instrumental, pragmatic and self-referent features, whereas (b) women regard possessions as important not only because of their use-related aspects but equally because they symbolize interpersonal integration and emotional attachment. The findings are discussed with reference to a functional/self-oriented vs. symbolic/other-oriented continuum of the meanings of personal possessions as reflections of gender identity.8

Psychologists observe that attachment to objects can vary in neurodivergent people� Their perception of objects in their surroundings can lead to frustration and problems with performing daily tasks� The term: object permanence means an ability to remember that a particular object exists without seeing it or sensing it with other senses� For example, researchers on that subject (the first one was Jean Piaget9 - a Swiss psychologist) played peekaboo games with babies hiding small objects in cups� At the age of 4-5 months, some babies understood objects of permanence, and at nine months, most demonstrated this ability� However, children and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder often suffer from forgetting where their things are and even do not remember that they have them� It results in: buying multiple of the same stuff, clutter on their desk, drawers, dressers, etc� Some describe it as a person with ADHD who can see an object without acknowledging its existence; therefore, they do not order it, use it or do not remember having it�

8 Dittmar, Helga� (2011)� Gender Identity-Related Meanings of Personal Possessions. British Journal of Social Psychology� 28� 159 - 171� 10�1111/j�2044-8309�1989�tb00857� x�

9 Jean Piaget (1896-1980) - Swiss psychologist, studied children development, cognitive development in relation to human intelligence

Perception of the Visible

Visual perception is individual and influenced by cultural and civilisational aspects� In drawing classes: some see objects as shapes and draw lines around them; others see objects as chiaroscuro1 or colour tonalities� What also varies is the capacity of perception� Every individual has a unique way of seeing and their perception is different� There is a difference between what eyes capture as an optical mechanism and what man sees with his aware mind �

Daily life objects can be fascinating, and many artists perpetuated them on paintings, photographs, and in writing� Van Gogh2 painted a simple wooden chair, Josef Sudek3 photographed glasses of water, and George Perec described an interior with details like an ashtray, a teaspoon, and cabinet knobs�

Polish artist and an author of the book Theory of Seeing –Władysław Strzemiński4, writes that our picture (perception) of the world is constantly evolving and is influenced by our experience with history and cultural and social background �

“W procesie widzenia nie to jest ważne, co mechanicznie chwyta oko, lecz to, co człowiek uświadamia sobie ze swego widzenia”

(“In a process of seeing it is not important what mechanically catches the eye – but what one realises oneself by seeing it.” – my translation)

In our modern world, the sense of seeing overruled all other senses in the process of designing architecture� Many architects visualise

1 chiaroscuro - monochrome

2 Vincent van Gogh, (1853-1890) - Dutch post-impressionist painter

3 Josef Sudek (1896 - 1976) - Czech photographer

4 Władysław Strzemiński (1893-1952) painter, art theorist, author of Theory of Seeing, republished by Łódź Art Museum, 2016 (critical edition)

note: Pictures of living spaces became a commodified product, sort of pornography. Literally - there are books as Cabin Porn* – which consist of impressing photographs of wooden huts in insanely beautiful places. Research of neuroarchitecture (neuroscience and architecture) studies (Vartanian et al., 2015; Vartanian et al., 2013) shows that looking at aesthetically pleasing photographs of interiors activates the medial prefrontal cortex, which is associated with pleasure and can be compared to looking at beautiful faces, food, or erotic pictures.

living spaces creating hyper-realistic renderings� Such a future home presentation can impress their clients, though this depiction does not guarantee that the project will satisfy the needs of future dwellers�

The idea of a  perfectly decorated home is criticized by Finnish architect Juhani Pallasmaa� He literally calls these stage settings and refuses to use the word home in that context � Pallasmaa points out that home cannot be a final product nor an individual expression of an architect� There is often a conflict between two styles – how the architect designs the place for his clients and how the same architect actually lives in his own house� Pallasmaa remarks that, as designers, we aspire for a meticulously articulated and temporally one-dimensional environment, whereas as dwellers ourselves, we prefer a more layered, ambiguous and aesthetically less coherent environment�5 Living spaces designed to the details (as sometimes clients wish) as a tablecloth, vase, decorative pillows become showrooms or exhibitions curated by the architect—then the intimacy of a home is vanishing�

In our living spaces, the capacity of individual perception influences our attentiveness and focus� Nowadays, some people can suffer from overstimulation - also visual - due to a hectic lifestyle and lack of focus� All-day-long online availability and popping notifications do not always support our mindful physical presence� Gernot Böhme6 uses this term, a philosopher who wrote about the paradox of presence without being physically present (and the other way around) in the context of architecture� Since part of our life takes place in virtual spaces, considering our homes and surroundings to be the only source of our visual perception and visual stimuli appears to be predominant� With Böhme’s perspective, we can distinguish

5 Pallasmaa J�, Encounters 1, p�113

6 Gernot Böhme (1937 - 2022) - German philosopher, author of esseys on theory of time, aesthetics i a Architektur und Atmosphäre., München, 2006

between the beginning of 20th century architecture, which treats humans merely as bodies, and architecture that considers a human as a mindfully present physical body� Therefore the subjects lean towards the atmosphere, which is what one finds oneself in�

Pallasmaa describes two approaches to architecture, the architecture of accommodation and the architecture of rejection7 � If the rejection is considered as actual divesting oneself of belongings (possessions), we can understand Pallasmaa’s consideration as criticism towards it� The architecture of accommodation is linked to homecoming, is based on images that are deeply rooted in our memory (phenomenologically authentic ground of architecture), and facilitates reconciliation� The architecture of rejection is not, in this case, connected to the rejection of objects� Pallasmaa refers to the mental rejection that can happen when a home is curated as a showroom or exhibition and becomes arrogant, divisive, and untouchable order when space does not incorporate the personal identity, memories, and dreams of the inhabitant�

One of the neuroarchitecture8 researches was on: How our brain reacts to the particular architectural space?9 Although the participants were looking at photographs of various interiors� In that case, the perception was only visual and limited � Although, scientists discovered that looking at aesthetical interiors has the brain’s response when looking at beautiful faces� The brain’s reward system worked the same way as when looking at representations satisfying primary needs like food or sex �

7 Pallasmaa J , Encounters 1, p 124

8 Neuroarchitecture is a relatively new discipline that studies brain reactions and human behavior in its surroundings The physical environment experienced by our senses is a more romantic approach focusing on perception and atmosphere Researchers in neuroarchitecture focus more on science and biology, e�g�, the influence of blue light pollution or the impact of plants on our surroundings (contact with nature can support the healing of patients in hospitals), etc�

9 Coburn A, Vartanian O, Kenett YN, Nadal M, Hartung F, Hayn-Leichsenring G, Navarrete G, González-Mora JL, Chatterjee A � Psychological and neural responses to architectural interiors� Cortex 2020, (May;126:217-241 doi: 10 1016/j cortex 2020 01 009 Epub 2020 Jan 30 PMID: 32092492 )

note: Coming from a country with a culture rooted in the Catholic religion, I have visited many churches with different styles - Baroque, neoclassic, Gothic cathedrals, and modern temples with austere stain glasses and furnishing. The first ones are the most decorative and ornament of all of them, though the first time I visited an Orthodox church in Latvia, I realized what horror vaccui means. Ikons, paintings, frescos, and sculptures are everywhere and leave no space for imagination. In every corner and vault is a decoration depicting a saint and detailed scenes from a bible. The images are very colorful, with many contrastable shades of blue and red. The altar is all golden with many pained figures. I remember a day when visiting cathedra in Liege; our group had an opportunity to climb the stairs leading to a space above the coping of the church. We stepped on wooden platforms, and the shape of a vault was visible under our feet. That was an attic of a cathedra, with a wooden roof and tiny decorated windows —a place few visited, and ABOVE the holy place with an altar. I recall an incredible serenity feeling in that place. I was in awe when thinking that usually, we look up the ceiling to see decorative frescos, and now I am walking above it and see only rough molding under my feet. When leaving the place, I saw a ray of a sun shining through a tiny opening in the roofing. The light made visible floating particles of dust and shined for a moment on my face. This simple scene at that moment impressed me more than most decorative altars and still inspires me.

Perception of emptiness

In the history of art and architecture, we can distinguish two fringe approaches to emptiness� Until the 16th century, the cultural perception of empty space was still based upon Aristotle10� He stated a formula;  nature abhors a vacuum11 that denies the possibility of unfulfilled space in nature since it is against its laws� Another meaning is that any possible absence in nature will be replaced with something new� That view -  horror vacui meaning fear of emptiness influenced the aesthetics of surfaces and ornate decorations� Tendencies of filling walls, ceilings, and columns with details, frescos and mosaics are visible predominantly in Baroque12 Catholic churches and Arabic culture and mosques�

Later - the Victorian era13 interiors, with all their lavishness, were criticized in the 19th century by Mario Praz14 - Italian art critic� They were considered chaotic and overwhelming, and this was a time that marked the beginning of modernism15� The famous  Less is more16 was stated �

A contrastable view on emptiness is  amor vacui, meaning worship of emptiness� Harmonious, clean, dimmed, grounding Japanese pavilions are classic examples of embracing the empty for creating a certain atmosphere in a space� For most of the people raised in Western culture, a room is empty until someone enters - however, in Japanese culture, understanding and depicting space depends on connection and relations between people� Few words charac-

10 Aristotle (384 - 322 BC ) - student of Plato, philospher mainly focusing on natural philosophy and metaphisics

11 lat Horror vacui - postualte attributed to Aristotle, used to express the idea that empty, unfilled spaces are unnatural as they go against the laws of nature and physics

12 Baroque - style and period in European art of 17th and 18th centuries

13 Victorian era - period dated 1820 - 1914 in British history, known by rich culture and status of Britain as a powerful empire�

14 Mario Praz (1896 - 1982) - Italian critic of art and litrature

15 modernism - late 19th and early 20th century

16Less is more - phrase associated with an architect Mies van der Rohe (1886 - 1969)

note: Sometimes I imagine an empty room ready to be inhabited, prepared for somebody to make it their place, their living room. Then the objects that start filling the space with their identity are placed with awareness… Nothing is stuck; all is ready for a new chapter, a promise of a new beginning. That is my vision, meditation, a daydream when I want to calm my thoughts… Carl Jung describes that kind of (day)dreams as a form of identification with our deeper Self. I am not familiar with his approach to exploring the psychic. Still, that example appeared interesting to me as an analogy and a playful way to discover some unconscious desires (regarding a living place).

terise those different spaces, and some of them - beside describing physical space - remark an atmosphere or colloquially -  a vibe�

Another word that relates to that subject is  ma17 - associated as a negative space, which applies to both space and time� This concept is remarkable and very different from Western perception of emptiness� This term can, for example, indicate silence or a pause in conversation, the distance between two objects or buildings�

A path – roji18 leads from a waiting place with a bench to the Japanese tea pavilion� That means that the path is a space in between two locations� It allows one to distance oneself from the outside world by walking it - getting into a calmer state� It is preparing the senses for the experience of arriving at the tea ceremony� Stepping stone by stone, walking the  roji is the first stage of meditation�19

ma -

(literal translation)

17

門 (door) and 日(sun) results in 間 - a door through the crevice of which the sunlight peeps in

18 roji - Japanese term refering to the part of a garden, unroofed ground, lit dewy ground leading to the chashitsu (tea room) for the ceremony of tea

19 Okakura K , The Book of Tea, Penguin, 2010

note: Sense of scent in comparison to sight is most correlated with memories. Smells are stimuli that are the only ones directly transferred to the amygdala – part of the brain responsible for memories, decision-making, and emotional responses. Marcel Proust’s famous ‘madeleine moment’ is a literal example of how the present moment can recall memories. Proust started writing, so to say, a stream of consciousness, which resulted being his famous ‘In Search of Lost Time.’ The practice of writing down those streams, observing our surroundings and senses is a great mindfulness practice.

II. Having more

In museums, galleries, and storefronts, objects are displayed, exposed, or create in collections� In the 16th century, aristocracy and merchant class members formed collections called cabinets of curiosities or German wunderkammer20 � Those were entire rooms with drawers and shelves filled with objects presenting trivia from distant countries and cultures� A display was there to impress, and natural things - like taxidermy21 - were often fabricated to shock the visitors� Those displays evolved and became art markets and museums�

An example of how a private collection evolved into a public display is Teyler’s Museum� Located in Haarlem, it is the first and oldest museum in the Netherlands� It opened for visitors in 1778 - when Pieter Teyler van der Hulst22 passed away, and the museum was named after him� The collection started with Teyler’s private selection of art and science objects� The museum had an original concept that originated from the fascination and interests of the initiator� It consists of scientific instruments, fossils, showcases presenting minerals and precious stones, and painting galleries�

20 wunderkammer - (German 'wonder chamber'), a place where a collection of curiosities and rarities is exhibited

21 taxidermy - preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of animals with lifelike effect, considered to be an art�

22 Teyler van der Hulst, Pieter (1702 - 1778) Dutch merchant, banker and philantropist, collector of i a coins, drawings and fossils

Collectors

Since we were children, many of us collected things� Often we assigned a high value to something like stones, shells, pieces of colourful paper� Later - stickers, posters, band t-shirts became expressions of our identity� Creating collections is a bit different than just wanting to possess� Collectables are not necessarily valuable as a single object but what makes a collection valuable is mainly the objects gathered all together� An example could be the Museum of Innocence in Istanbul � Created by Orhan Pamuk23, this collection is a part of his novel with the same title� The museum, the place tells a story of a woman� Objects preserve a memory of a lover of a protagonist� By bringing a vast part of a story to the literal presentation of tangible pieces, Pamuk gives it a new dimension� He is blending in a plot with reality�

Collecting does not need a reason; collections do not need to tell a story and do not need to become an exhibition� Sometimes, it is just a form of a hobby� A photographer from Maastricht - Alx Marks is portraying local dwellers� Her photographs present people in their unique living spaces� Usually collectors of unusual objects� A lady with walls full of watches and devotional objects, a man and his shelves displaying beer cans and beermats, etc� One of the photographic reportages presents Noor and Hans, a couple who frequently visits local flea markets and claims to  select only the best of the best� 24 (quote from Alx Marks gallery on lensculture�com) Their collection consists of taxidermy (including aligators), cars and planes die-cast models, snakeskin purses, oil lamps, and crystal vases� Noor and Hans are curators of their collection by choosing unique, quality objects that today are almost unavailable to buy� As a result, Hans and Noor’s house looks like a cabinet of curiosities�

23 Orhan Pamuk (1962) - Turkish novelist, screenwriter, recipient of Nobel Prize in Literature in 2006 24 quote from Alx Marks gallery on lensculture com

note: In one of the cupboards, grandparents kept glasses, chocolate bars, and bee wax candles, a couple of special wine glasses made from thick crystal glass with an air twisted, thick, and delicately tinted stem. Under the edge of a wineglass, there was a sign “150 ml” insculped. There was a day when grandpa served me wine in it, and I knew he showed me that day his appreciation and introduced me to some new phase of my adulthood and the next level of our friendship.

A very different example of a person having more is a collector Axel Vervoordt25� He approaches his objects with respect and talks about them with exquisiteness� He started his profession by asking people to look around their attics, hoping to find unique, forgotten objects and give them new life� As a result, nowadays, he owns various antiquities that could be part of world-famous museum collections�

I am not the real collector who wants to possess [moving his hand towards his torso]. I really, first of all, want to give things a better place. - says Vervoordt in a short documentary�26

When the collector creates new objects from historical pieces, he respects their age and origin� He considers antiquities too beautiful and too perfect to be restrained in using them freely� Vervoordt’s clients include the most famous pop-culture stars, and his castle is far from humble� Although his engaging persona, speaking about architecture and objects, he resembles a Buddhist monk, he balances fascination and distance to the material, visual world � His simple formula regarding interior architecture is: it is nice to have both - to have full rooms and empty rooms27� With time, his projects made him own a multi-million company and become one of the most famous interior designers in the world �

25Axel Vervoordt (1947) - Belgian interior designer, collector and dealer or art Owns a XII cantury castle located near Kanaal, Belgium Among other celebrites clients, he designed a house for a famous rapper Kanye West and his entepreneur wife Kim Kardashian West

26 Who is Axel Vervoordt? World Famous Interior Designer to the Stars filmed by Lisa Immordino Vreeland published on YouTube channel M2M (Made To Measure), location: Castle ‘s-Gravenwezel, Schilde, Belgium (https://www�youtube�com/watch?v=z7F6rREa-2s)�

27 quote from the same film (04:40)

Hoarders

In some people’s lives, objects can provoke deep attachments� This phenomenon can be called auto-accumulation or commonly - hoarding� Jane Bennett1 researched people that have an obsession with collecting objects� She did not want to focus on their mental illness but mainly on their connection to their belongings� She postulates that hoarders have exclusive sensory access to the meaning and call of things�

The increased power of perception of a hoarder leads to the accumulation and extreme personal connection to predominantly random objects has resulted in gathering and cluttering living spaces to the limits� Their surroundings - rooms in the house, storages and backyards, become filled with objects, piled up - disable one to move around their own home� The congeries are assembled mostly of stacks of old newspapers, old clothes, wrappings, broken and dusty memorabilia, and expired food tins� Simply put: junk �

Being in denial to throw away any of their stuff, seeing a treasure in things commonly considered as clutter, treating it as part of them, part of their body� When possessions prevent a space from being used for the purpose that it would be normally used for, it stops you from doing important things and stops you from living in your house in comfort �

In a lecture, Powers of the Hoard: Artistry and Agency in a World of Vibrant Matter2, Bennett presents a chart of the increasing strength of the bond between human and nonhuman bodies�

1 Jane Bennett (1957) - political theorist and philosopher, author of a book Vibrant Matter: A Political Ecology of Things. 2 A

owner - connoisseur - collector - archivist - pack rat - chronically disorganised - hoarder

note: The word absence ab·sence \ 'ab-sən(t)s \ means 'a state of not being present', 'being absent'. The word originates in Old French, absence, first used in the XIV century and comes from Latin absentia and is currently in use as abesse - 'to be away from', 'be absent where ab- refers to 'off', 'away from' and esse 'to be'. In the Italian language, the word for absence is: le assenza

The word absence is used in this thesis in the context of mind, metaphysics, and the concept of empty space and space around an object.

Absentmindedness as 'absence of mind' is officially validated as a definition example in the etymology dictionary. It is described as 'inattention to present surroundings or occurrences', 'not being concentrated', and 'not remembering what one is doing'. (source: Absence, Dictionary, Merriam-Webster.)

Hoarders from the TV show:  Hoarders1 receive psychological help and service from people willing to organise, discard excess, and help to clean their homes� Obstacles appear when participants do not allow moving out their belongings, saying, for example, I do not want to get rid of it because it has potential � Even when overwhelmed by the number of things around them, they wish they could organise it but rarely discard any of them� The attachment is so strong that hoarders treat their belongings as part of themselves� The extreme perception of hoarders constrains them from keeping objects due to their texture, colour, and sentiment � Those obsessive collectors project their potential, importance, and value on their things� Bennett remarks that one surrounding himself with an overwhelming (also for a hoarder) amount of objects can come from a coping mechanism with, so to say, empty nest syndrome, loneliness, or human morality�

This obsessive gathering takes control of one’s life and often leads to withdrawal from society and family� The outcome of a situation that hoarders unconsciously create is lonesome� Either by being ashamed of their cluttered home, or their places often do not match the standards of aesthetics�

1 Hoarders, A&E channel, each episode examines two stuffed households and people living in each episode� Often the program is directed to highlight controversy and involve social security, psychiatrist, legal issues, or deadly black mold

note: 'At times we think we know ourselves in time, when all we know is a sequence of fixations in the spaces of the being’s stability – a being who does not want to melt away, and who, even in the past, when he sets out in search of things past, wants time to “suspend” its flight. In its countless alveoli space contains compressed time. That is what space is for.'

(Gaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Space)

Hoarding is an OCD (Obsessive-compulsive disorder� There are a few categories of OCD, but the most common are four: cleaning/ contamination OCD, order (including symmetry and counting), OCD, harm OCD (being scared of potential accidents that can happen, etc�), and, as mentioned earlier - hoarding OCD� International OCD Foundation prepared a downloadable Hoarding fact sheet with questions, symptoms descriptions, and possible treatment solutions for those whose life became negatively affected by this disorder�

Compulsive hoarding includes ALL three of the following:

1. A person collects and keeps a lot of items, even things that appear useless or of little value to most people, and

2. These items clutter the living spaces and keep the person from using their rooms as they were intended, and

3. These items cause distress or problems in day-to-day activities.1

From the fact sheet, we can learn that hoarding cannot be solved by simply helping to clean out� Motivation to do that cannot be forced, and any actions against the hoarder’s will are disrespectful and can cause anxiety� Research does not support the idea that the behavior of people affected by hoarding disorder is caused by experiencing poverty or hardship in their past� Instead, it’s more common to reason the worsening symptoms by traumatic events such as the death of a loved one�

Perec’s inventory

Taking a closer look at the overwhelming attachment to the objects one surrounds thyself with, we can find explicit examples of this in Georges Perec’s novel � This French author had a fascinating way of depicting the reality of his characters through their belongings� In his novels and essays, he perceptively takes the reader around interiors and the human psyche� In the piece Notes Concerning the Objects that are on my Work-Table2, Perec self-reflects on his belongings and their meaning in daily life� The author describes the setting in detail, from the material and dimensions of his desk to every single object that he keeps on it� He shares how many hours he works at the desk, how frequently he tidies it up, other activities as smoking and drinking coffee during work, and many details and questions about particular objects� Perec piece is a peculiar inventory, documentation, or journal combined with a stream of consciousness written by observing the nearest space around �

The author by observing and being aware of surroundings initiates a deeper connection with a place� Examples present the subject of belongingness as soaking socks in a pink plastic bowl or heating a spaghetti� The questions raised by Georges Perec about belonging to a place touch upon details and ordinary objects that were referring to daily activities� Those insignificant objects and actions are examples of everyday, mundane activities that seem to be almost existential in Perec’s writings�

What we need to question is bricks, concrete, glass, our table manners, our utensils, our tools, the way we spend out time our rhythms. To question that which seems to have ceased forever to astonish us. We live, true, we breathe, true; we walk, we open doors, we go down staircases, we sit at a table in order to eat, we lie down on a bed in order to sleep. How? Where? When? Why? Describe your street. Describe another street. Compare. Make an inventory of your pockets, of your bag. Ask yourself about the provenance, the use, what will become of each of the objects you take out. Question your tea spoons. What is there under your wallpaper? How many movements does it take to dial a phone number? Why? Why don’t you find cigarettes in grocery stores? Why not?3

note: '(...)over picturesqueness in a house can conceal its intimacy.'

(Gaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Space)

Perec’s inviolable space

There is an imaginary place filled with many unique objects� Highceiling apartment with a wood-blocked floor, cherrywood bookcases, the velvet cover of a sofa, and leather curtains are only a few examples of that exclusive interior� Furthermore, there is an incredible selection of art pieces and knick-knacks like jade ashtrays, horn-handled brushes, glass pencil holders, and stem vases� All the objectsmade with refined materials - create an atmosphere of elegance and calmness� That place exists on the few first pages of a short novel by Georges Perec Things: A Story of The Sixties4 � An author invites us to look around and most likely be in awe of that interior's serene atmosphere�

Notably, reading Perec's depiction of such a perfect, unique but inviolable interior suggests that this scenery does not need anybody's presence� Stepping in, placing something in the wrong place, or yielding the drapes up, would only disturb that setting�

In the beginning, the author of that short novel does not introduce characters to the readers� We could consider that a home could say much about the people living there� The fact is that this depiction represents the daydreamed home of this couple of protagonists� Sylvie and Jerome were not rich, but not poor� They had dreams of a better, more comfortable life� They were window shopping on Parisian streets and were looking at objects of their desire� Their yearning came from an appreciation of beautiful things� Though the vastness of their desires paralysed them5, the protagonists of Perec's short novel found themselves caught in their imaginary world of the perfect house and became miserable� Sylvie and Jerome tried to escape the hopeless cycle of temptation and work to sustain themselves� Finally, they decided to get away to Sfax in Tunisia, and lead simple countryside life, getting rid of their possessions�

4 Perec G�, Things: A Story of The Sixties, Vintage, 2011 5Perec G , p 31

note: Impermanence, imperfection, appreciation of what is ephemeral... an aesthetic of traditional Japanese culture is called Wabi-Sabi and its rooted in Buddhism. In essence, as author Leonard Koren, wrote:

'Wabi Sabi is exactly about a delicate ba ance between the pleasure we get from things and a pleasure we get from freedom of things.'

Desert life was pleasant and seemed to heal them from wishing for more temporarily� More time passed, days and weeks of desert waste, which did not count. They stopped wanting.6 The past life became their illusion or a legend, but they were still not fulfilled because before, they had had at least a passion for possessing7 � Often it was wanting that had been all their existence�

Perec's novel touches upon other aspects of a man's relationship with his objects� Consumerism started vastly in the 1960s� It created a fascination with material wealth, losing a sense of one's identity in the yearning for a better life� The detailed room Perec depicts is fascinating for most readers, especially for fetishists of quality materials, unique objects, and art � But unfortunately, we can get caught by an illusion, a surface-level fascination, and visual excitation with what appears to be a stage set, as in the theatre�

Stanisław Barańczak

Jeżeli porcelana, to wyłącznie taka

Jeżeli porcelana, to wyłącznie taka której nie żal pod butem tragarza lub gąsienicą czołgu; jeżeli fotel, to niezbyt wygodny, tak aby nie było przykro podnieść się i odejść; jeżeli odzież, to tyle, ile można unieść w walizce, jeżeli książki, to te, które można unieść w pamięci, jeżeli plany, to takie, by można o nich zapomnieć, kiedy nadejdzie czas następnej przeprowadzki na inną ulicę, kontynent, etap dziejowy lub świat:

kto ci powiedział, że wolno ci się przyzwyczajać?

kto ci powiedział, że cokolwiek jest na zawsze? czy nikt ci nie powiedział, że nie będziesz nigdy w świecie czuł się jak u siebie w domu?

Stanisław Barańczak

If porcelain, then only the kind

If porcelain, then only the kind you won’t miss under the shoe of a mover or the tread of a tank; if a chair, then not too comfortable, lest there be regret in getting up and leaving; if clothing, then just so much as can fit in a suitcase, if books, then those which can be carried in the memory, if plans, then those which can be overlooked when the time comes for the next move to another street, continent, historical period or world:

who told you that you were permitted to settle in? who told you that this or that would last forever? did no one ever tell you that you will never in the world feel at home in the world?

Translated from the Polish by Frank Kujawinski

III. Having less

The topic of being detached from excess possessions has a history� We can find stories about ascetics in every religion and system of beliefs� Limiting the amount of belongings has its roots in seeking a better focus on one’s spiritual journey� In modern western culture, these phenomena can come from a variety of different reasons: for example, the limitation of living space and/or the choice of a modern nomadic lifestyle1�

Living in a state of impermanence - physical (renting apartments, moving to other countries) or mental (discarding and limiting belongings) - has its reasoning in responsible consumption� Also, independence from family relations and often single life influence choices of minimizing the costs of living� The idea of tiny houses and micro-apartments can be appealing to some - although it is not an ultimate solution - especially regarding that the quality surrounding can positively influence mental health� Another - more visual aspect - is aesthetic minimalism or reduction of visual stimuli� We could consider it a trend, but it is also an answer to an overload of products that the market offers�

The impermanence of life connects brings to mind our relationship with objects� For example, discarding the belongings of a beloved one after a loss can be a painful experience� Yet, we identify those things as part of them and want to keep our memories of them in those objects� Polish author, Marcin Wicha2, wrote a memorial, a book Rzeczy, ktorych nie wyrzucilem3 � After his mother passes away, he recaptures her portrait, creates an inventory, and recollects dialogues by going through and sorting the possessions she left behind �

1modern nomadic lifestyle - a way of living without a permanent address, traveling, and seeking work opportunities while not settling for an extended time; includes digital nomads / people working remotely� Those often live lightly, without too many possessions�

2 Marcin Wicha (1972, Warsaw, Poland) Polish essayist, Nike Literary Award in 2018

3 Wicha M , Rzeczy, ktorych nie wyrzucilem, [Things, which I Didn't Throw Out], Karakter, 2017

note:When living in a temporary apartment mentioned earlier, antikraak, I had a limited amount of my belongings, and two factors influenced it. First, the circumstances of not knowing for how long I was allowed to stay there, and second, I was not ready for a feeling of rootedness in any place. Therefore, I preferred to be prepared to move out at any time by packing my belongings that would fit in one banana box. Now, I try to understand what my motive was back then. Either this feeling had to do with my poor mental health and inner suffering, or I was seeking some form of freedom. Belonging is beautiful - but not belonging appealed to me back then.

Organizing personal possessions is not conventionally a role of an interior architect, and most of the projects do not require such a detailed engagement� However, nowadays, fields of architecture, neuroscience, and psychology meet and become neuroarchitecture and other areas that profoundly research senses related to (living) spaces�

So who is responsible for organizing the stuff in our homes? If there is no particular name for a profession of that kind, there are many books and shows in which the main aim is dealing with people lost in the surrounding of their possessions� The website theminimalists.com became a phenomenon and, since 2010, has constantly been growing� Joshua and Ryan4, founders of a brand with the same name, published four books, a free e-book, more than a couple of hundreds of podcast episodes, and a few documents (streamed on Netflix)� All of the above focuses on creating a life without things that are overwhelming us� With that perspective, many other subjects include mental health, economy, relationships, etc� In addition, a couple became public speakers, participating in many symposiums and events� People who are watching their films, buying books and taking part in live events can be counted in millions���

Another super-star of organizing is Marie Kondo5, a Japanese author who also has her TV show on Netflix � As an expert, she guides people during their make-overs, mainly consisting of reducing the number of belongings and organizing them� It is not a simple, calculated, or pragmatic task because Kondo introduces us to the magical term - a spark of joy� Mindfully choosing the things that will stay at home, participants ask themselves: Does this thing spark joy in me?

5 Marie Kondo (1984) - author of a best-seller The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (2011) published in more then 30 countries In 2015 listed on 100 most influential people in Time magazine

4 Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus (both born in 1981 in USA) - founders of website theminimalists.com, authors, public speakers, hosts of The Minimalists Podcast, and stars in shows as Less is Now and Minimalism both directed by Matt D'Avella (available on Netflix)�

note: In 2015, I visited a final exhibition in ‘our school’ (MAFAD) and met a girl presenting her graduation project from the Visual Communication department. Her work immediately caught my attention since she exhibited a few of her personal belongings, which I learned she decided to refuse. She translated her personal story of limiting and rejecting possessions into categories, documenting each object with a photograph, number, and color mark. The project was titled ‘The Quintessence of Things’ and consisted of a catalog and posters visually and symbolically representing the state of her reduced possessions. As a reference, she had included artwork of an American artist, Barbara Kruger, with bold lettering ‘I shop therefore I am’ (analogy to Rene Descartes: ‘ I think therefore I am’). Besides, there was a quote by Erich Fromm that I leaned came back from his book ‘To Have or To Be’ which is:

‘The crucial question is whether property promotes the activity and the vitality of a person or whether it paralyzes him and leads to inertia, laziness and unproductiveness.’

(Erich Fromm, To Have or to Be, p. 139)

In case the proverbial favorite stretched sweater is destined to part with it, the host will ask the mentee to say a word of thanks for serving the purpose and maybe even kiss it� Otherwise, if the object passes the sparkling test, the mentioned sweater would be smoothened and deliberately folded using the most efficient technique� As a result, we are supposed to become curators of our belongings, selecting them, purging, and gaining control over them instead of being controlled by them�

As the show becomes a bit grotesque, those experts from having less are indeed making us realize some things even if we all know (under)consciously what we actually need and what we don't� But, being entangled in not always mindful consumption, we start to consume the philosophy of departing with possessions without the magical spark of joy� Is there any highest level of consumption?

note: Buddhistic teaching regarding desires and letting go of things does not apply only to personal possessions but refers to general cravings and clinging to what is impermanent.

The Four Noble Truths: 1. Life has inevitable suffering. 2. Suffering is caused by our desires. 3. Suffering can be ended when we stop desiring things - by letting go. 4. The way to stop desiring things is to follow The Noble Eightfold Path.

Danshari – a cure for the excess disease

Danshari (断捨離) in order of the signs: refuse, dispose, separate�

A movement called danshari has it’s beginning in Japan, and one of their slogans is:  Decluttering for a happier life� Popularised by Fumio Sasaki1, the author of the book  Goodbye, things2 and Japan’s most radical minimalist -danshari started being considered a cure - at least a treatment - for the disease of our times: excess� The excess should not be considered as an ultimate evil � Albeit, it would be helpful to be aware of the consequences of living with overwhelming excess and skillful management of our goods� Indeed, the limitation of belongings in living space, therefore visual stimuli - can help create, so to say, headspace� It can help with lack of focus, absentmindedness, and perhaps even with anxiety�

In his book, Fumio Sasaki confessed he was lonely, surrounded by objects covered with dust (collection of analog cameras, electric guitar with amplifier), and on the way to be addicted to gaming and adult videos� Now he possesses only a mattress, bowl, very few clothing pieces, laptop, watch, and pair of glasses� In his bathroom, he has a multi-purpose soup and a small towel � Becoming minimalist appears to be sometimes as taking part in a competition� The most famous challenge is called: living with  100 possessions� There are books and guides on this subject; authors lead their readers to become a (quite extreme) minimalist in six easy steps, from which the first one is to make an inventory of all what you have and divide it into categories�

1 Fumio Sasaki (1979) - writer and editor in Japanese publishing house, minimalist living in 20m sq� apartment, author of a book Goodbye, things�

2 Sasaki F , Goodbye, things, Penguin, 2017

The eight possessions of a monk

A Buddhist monk, Manapo Bhikkhu1, shared his way of living and objects he possesses in an interview titled  A Day in the Life of a Buddhist Monk - full of great self-isolation techniques2� He practices an hour of chanting in the morning, followed by a meditation session (samatha - calming and stilling the mind, vipassana - concentrated mind to see clearly and let go)� Chores and taking care of the place where monks live is an integral part of the day� The day consists further of walking meditation, study, and evening prayers with chanting� The goal of living in a monastery and resigning from the worldly is to become enlightened � It can happen only when one will deeply embody  The Four Noble Truths� Those directly connect the desire of possessing material goods, and causes suffer3�

A monk’s possessions consist of three robes, an alms bowl, water filter, razor, belt, needle, and thread � His robes have a color of dark yellow, an ancient Indian symbol of renunciation� Besides leaving behind his family and belongings, the monk shaves his head since he refuses to care for his physical appearance as it is not valid to the pursuit of his  real happiness�

Many Buddhistic sayings regard having, possessing, and attachment to things� One of them teaches that:

My actions are my only true belongings: I cannot escape their consequences. My actions are the ground on which I stand4 �

1 Manapo Bhikkhu - Buddhist monk coming from England

2 short document film by Jonathan Green (English director and producer, made short films documenting life representatives of other system of beliefs as: Jewish Rabbi, Muslim Imam, Christian Vicar and Hindu Priest� Available to watch on his Vimeo profile: https://vimeo�com/mrjonathangreen)

3 The Four Noble Truths, The Noble Eightfold Path are considered as first teachings of Buddha�

4 Thich Nhat Hanh (1926 - 2022) - Vietnamese Thien Buddhist monk, activist, author�

Objects of a daily use

What does it mean to live in a room? Is to live in a place to take possession of it? What does taking possession of a place mean? As from when does somewhere become truly yours? Is it when you’ve put your three pairs of socks to soak in a pink plastic bowl? Is it when you’ve heated up your spaghetti over a camping-gaz? Is it when you’ve drawing pinned to the wall and old postcard showing Carpaccio’s ‘Dream of St Ursula’? Is it when you’ve experienced there the throes of anticipation, or the exaltations of passion, or the torments of a toothache? Is it when you’ve hung suitable curtains up on the windows, and put up the wallpaper, and sanded the parquet flooring?1

The example of hoarders shows that unskilful domestication can lead to stagnation – and accumulation of possessions in a hoarder’s room does not lift up to mindful life� Excess of objects in the life of a person with anxiety or depression can lead to even more deep stagnation� And vice versa – a person with chronic stress becomes careless towards his surrounding� Georges Perec’s short novel  A Man Asleep2 - published in the same book as  Things: A Story of The Sixties - presents a student with an attitude of withdrawal �

An absent-minded student from Perec’s novel, A Man Asleep, performed repetitive, daily actions with indifference� His everyday routine involved preparing instant coffee by pouring lukewarm water into the unwashed bowl and adding condensed milk� Then, without getting out of bed, he smoked cigarettes and read a newspaper� Such novel details can give us a clear view of the state of mind of the main character� And, of course, there is nothing wrong with drinking instant coffee, although preparation does not need any particular engagement�

Our senses are not exceptionally/profoundly activated for obvious reasons� How differently it would look if one would be truly engaged in the preparation of a coffee� He would start it with grinding beans, pre-heating a vessel, kettle, and a cup, finding the best water temperature, the best technique of pouring and straining�

note: Perec asking reflective and investigative questions uses verbs: to make, to ask, to move, to soak, to heat up, to pin, to experience, to hang, to put up, or to sand. The objects appearing in his query are: a pink plastic bowl, postcard, curtain, wallpaper, parquet flooring, pocket, bag, teaspoons, and cigarettes. An author invites a reader to start to question your teaspoons. Perec seems to encourage us to brother our perceptions, to observe our reality, even the most familiar, and be inspired by it. Perhaps even to stop taking it for granted.

Georges Perec’s speciality was questioning the meaning of daily activities, objects and belongingness to a place� Ritualising daily activities, thereby using mostly the simplest, most available, ordinary objects can lead to beautiful moments of celebration of what is commonly considered as mundane� These moments - instead of being chores or duties – become part of the domesticating the space�

An ultimate symbol of a ritual is the Japanese tea ceremony - hyperbolically slowing down the tempo of a brew preparation� A tea preparation in daily life never looks like that; it becomes a complex procedure using various utensils and steps, sensing the time and engagement in the process and being in the process� Difficult to describe as action, everything happens slow-paced, with a celebration of momentum, dedication to details, movement, and process, in a meditative state�

There are more than 25 objects connected to the Japanese tea ceremony� Things like tea boxes, ash and charcoal containers, carriers, brooms and spoons, incense, shelves, trays, braziers, teapots, tea scoops, bamboo whisks, copper bowls, tripods, woven mats, iron pots and water ladles and containers� A Ro is a fire pit – another common piece of tea ceremony equipment�

A Modern version of ritual is to slow down� Eastern-inspired practices like yoga, a holistic approach to health care coming from Ayurveda3, and everything preceded with an adjective slow: life, food, coffee, and even architecture and sex � All of them are opposed to the idea of focusing on instant achievements and short-term goals� In psychology, slow life reflects in mindfulness, once more coming from the philosophy of Buddhism� Instant is passé, and slow is supposed to answer the overwhelming and fast consumerism�

3 Ayurveda - the traditional Hindu system of medicine

note: Is a manual coffee mill more functional than an electric one? Do you see value in the making it quickly or in a slow, ritualized way? Are you more engaged in the process? Does coffee taste better? Can you even compliment a coffee from a capsule? What is the point of all of that? Are we going to glorify functionality or an old wooden manual coffee mill dated back from the times of Czechoslovakia? Does your lover recognize a difference between slow brewed coffee and the one from a Nespresso machine? Is it possible to prepare the instant one ‘with love’?

Contemporary artists are using objects of rituals referring to spirituality, tradition, or as a conceptual criticism of a consumer society� The artwork of Nanda4 - a contemporary Korean artist - uses photographic collages to express her criticism of how rituals can be commercialized � In one of her works, The Coffee Bean, she presents an interior resembling a tea house� In the picture - a woman sitting traditionally on heels - as during a tea ceremony is carrying a cup from a coffee chain� The figure -multiplied - creates a one-point perspective to the center of the image� The repeated image can symbolize the ordinariness of coffee consumption, its insignificance rather than experience, and its becoming sort of accessory�

American artist - Tom Sachs5 - created a performance as well as objects referring to traditional utensils used during a tea ceremony� Assembled from plywood, the simple construction of a rough-andready tea house was a space in which Sachs casually swept tatami mats, walked on geta clogs, and stepped on concrete stones leading to the tea house reworking the traditional Japanese ritual � Something which - at first glance - can seem mischief is - in fact - his admiration for the most extraordinary expression of human culture�

4 Nanda (1969, Seoul) - the Korean artist, uses photographic collages as a medium to comment, criticize, and point out issues in contemporary society as well as traditions� Touches subjects of consumerism, globalism, tourism, the feminine, and everydayness�

5 Tom Sachs (1966) - American contemporary artist

note: Coming back to my memories of a childhood, I can still recall an aroma of my grandma’s cupboard and am planning to recreate it in a scent lab. It will consists of beeswax candles, dark chocolate, ironed and clear-starched linen, and cherry wood.

Conclusion

The first word which became a direction to the main subject of this paper was the word belonging - as belonging to the place and having belongings� Though the thesis is called Absence - a mind among objects. A reflection on collecting, clutter and rejected belongings - I wanted to express the disparity of presence without being physically present and being present with being absent-minded �

The life of a hoarder and the life of a Buddhist monk cannot be more different� Both, though, are debonded from reality� Those extreme examples show a polarity of the relationship between a human and his objects� Although everybody has a unique approach to objects - during a lifetime, this can change� We move out; we change places of accommodation; we travel, we inherit—the amount of belongings changes; therefore, the sense of belongingness changes�

The relationship with objects can be positive and supportive� Choosing quality objects, using them as tools for daily rituals, finding their complementary contribution to our life - serving us with their beauty, function, or sense of rootedness as well as collectors and connoisseurs contributing to preserving the culture and achievements of our society�

Observing our surroundings and our living spaces is a practice� I have learned that on my way when seeking my own presence, sometimes my room reflects my inner struggling, but fortunately, more often, my awareness starts to improve the quality of my home�

Lessons on finding that were precious, starting with Pallasmaa, whose childhood memories bring to mind sounds, smells, and even different perceptions of time as we were children� Then, continuing with reading Perec's pieces, who ask us to make an inventory of our pockets and objects on our desks

and recon on what is daily and infra-ordinary� Finally, learning from Gernot Böhme that: atmosphere is what one finds oneself in.

The subjects of objects, senses, memories, presence and mindful physical presence are broad � Those more or less ten thousand words are a collection of small branches of exciting issues for me� Some things may seem obvious, some a bit apart from the main subject – though my associative thinking can be difficult to domesticate, it led me to open new perspectives�

I aspire that my approach, in conjunction with future psychological research, could result in helping those who struggle with a lack of attentiveness� Relatively new fields of study such as neuroarchitecture have already opened the door to support our mental health primarily by taking a closer look at our surroundings� Disorders on a spectrum of autism, ADHD, or simply lack of focus can lead to disappointment in oneself, anxiety, and even depression�

Care and awareness of our surroundings and practicing mindfulness in daily activities can significantly support our comfort� I consider that in the field of Interior Architecture, there is a place for taking it as a main dare� Our objects and living rooms are our tools and can help create rituals, grasp moments, and savour the daily�

Although I am still looking for my way of describing the architecture and my expression – I will continue my search daily through objects, senses, and mindful silence�

Bibliography

Bachelard G�, The Poetics of Space, Beacon (1994)

Baudrillard J�, The System of Objects, Verso, London, 2005�

Berleant A �, Aesthetics and Environment, Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2005)

Böhme G , Atmosphere as Mindful Physical Presence in Space, written as a shorten version of a chapter, Leibliche Anwesenheit in Raum in his book, Architektur und Atmosphäre, in OASE #91, building atmosphere, nai010 publishers (2013)

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Figure list

title page: Piatkowiak P�, Bedroom on Kasteel Rivierenstraat, analogue photography (2017)

fig� 2 Piatkowiak P�, Vitrine in Berlin, analogue photography (2017)

fig� 3 Ana Vieira, Dining Room (Environment), painted nylon nets, (1971)

fig 4 Piatkowiak P , Chair in my study, digital photography, (2020)

fig� 5 A � + P� Smithson, in: Changing of Art of Inhabitation, London, Munich, 1994)

fig� 6 Piatkowiak P�, A collection of small objects, digital photography (2020)

fig� 7 Sudek J�, Egg on plate, analogue photography (1961)

fig 8 Still from video: Axel Vervoordt and the extraordinary treasures of Castle ‘s-Gravenwezel | House & Garden (0:13), uploaded by House & Garden, 22 May 2022

fig� 9 Still from Hoarders (TV show)

fig� 10 Still from Perec, Un homme qui dort (The Man Who Sleeps), (14:25)

fig� 11 Piatkowiak P�, Bedroom on Kasteel Rivierenstraat, analogue photography (2017)

fig 12 Still from A Day in the Life of a Buddhist Monk - full of great self-isolation techniques (3:38), uploded by TrueTube, 26 March 2022

fig� 13 Still from live matcha tea preparation (source unknown)

fig� 14 sketch of a cupboard by my grandpa (2018)