Russell Belk, Distinguished Research Professor and Kraft Foods Canada Chair in Marketing at York
University in Toronto, Ontario, will present Collecting and Collections from 10:30 am to noon on
Saturday, April 27. The Zoom presentation is being hosted by the Global Village Museum of Arts and
Cultures.
“It has been estimated that one out of every three people collect something,” said Dr. Belk. “If we
include the collections of photos, music, and apps on our smart phones, the prevalence of collecting is
much broader. What role do collections play in our lives, families, and communities? What do we
collect, and what does that say about us? How does collecting transform the objects, and how does
collecting change us?
“There is evidence that collections began in prehistoric times.” Dr. Belk added. “Objects are
accumulated by rich and poor, and a museum is also a collector. But what happens when objects like
books, music, and art become digital? Given online access to museum collections, do these institutions
still need physical objects?”
Dr. Belk is the author of more than 800 journal articles and books as well as the recipient of numerous
awards. In the announcement of his election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Dr. Belk was
described as a world leader in his field as well as one of the founders of Consumer Culture Theory.
The presentation is in conjunction with the Museum’s Main Gallery exhibit, Collections: Unexpected
Treasures, which runs through May 25.
Tickets are $5 per Zoom registration, and reservations are
required by 5 pm Thursday, April 25, at globalvillagemuseum.org. Registrants will receive the Zoom
link the day before the program.
The Global Village Museum is located at 200 West Mountain Avenue, and Museum hours are 11 am to
5 pm Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, please visit globalvillagemuseum.org or call
970-221-4600.
