In earlier times stockpiling was essential for survival when food was scarce. Today we live in a world of abundance, yet we continue to accumulate belongings, often more than we need. In the exhibition it is explored why we own things and whether there are limits to collecting.
The Netherlands is one of the richest countries in the world. But that wealth is not distributed equally and there is growing inequality. We are taught that it is natural to accumulate wealth for yourself and to compete with others. Defending the free market and austerity in the 1980s, the British prime minister Margaret Thatcher famously said, ‘There is no alternative’. But capitalism has not only led to economic inequality and social alienation; it has also destroyed ecosystems and contributed to
rapid global warming.
In this exhibition the museum explores the collection for stories that point towards alternatives: from hoarding to redistribution, from personal property to shared management. At the end of the series, they will examine which of these ideas they could use in the museum of the future.
