Jean-Hubert Martin and Catherine Millet Discuss Cabinets of Curiosities

In an interview published in artpress in April 1994, curator Jean-Hubert Martin and critic Catherine Millet explore the historical and contemporary significance of cabinets of curiosities (Wunderkammern). Martin, known for his groundbreaking exhibition 'Magiciens de la Terre' (1989), discusses how these early modern collections prefigured today's museums by juxtaposing naturalia, artificialia, and exotica. The conversation delves into the shift from encyclopedic accumulation to specialized display, and how contemporary artists have revived the cabinet format to challenge institutional hierarchies. Millet questions the relevance of such hybrid collections in an age of disciplinary specialization. Martin argues that the cabinet of curiosities offers a model for cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary dialogue, echoing his curatorial approach. The interview appears in artpress issue 190, a leading French art magazine.