Menagerie of menageries at EXD2011

Sidelines at Experimentadesign 2011 is a curated exhibition of collections from a variety of sources, ranging from curators to children.

Curated by Emily King, Sidelines is an exhibition that raises questions about value and use in relation to collecting. At Experimentadesign 2011 in Lisbon until 27 November, the show takes its cue from the sixth Portuguese design biennale’s overarching theme of “Uselessness”.

“Curiosity and obsession, pedagogy and vanity, the will to preserve and the fear of loss: the forces that drive collectors are numerous and complex,” reads the exhibition preface. The exhibition explores these motivations as well as how the spirit, value and purpose of collections change over time. The collections have been sourced from curators, artists, designers, writers, children and animals, and include album covers, magazines, nail polish and sticks, besides other menageries.

Stretching through the city in a number of venues, visitors are encouraged to savour the unlikely juxtapositions of the collections on show. The full exhibition can be viewed by following the itinerary of Lisbon’s celebrated No 28 tram.