Discover Antwan Horfee’s collection of Japanese playing cards

The Parisian artist Antwan Horfee has been collecting and curating for 15 years. His mind seems naturally suited to collection, bringing together worlds of cultural ethnographies with his unique methods. While he says he used to have a tendency towards distraction which made focusing difficult, there was a silver lining: “When I started to be interested in creating art, that gave me a sense of purpose,” he says. Feeding his curiosities through the people around him, he immerses himself into the environments of his peers. It was on his visits to friends living in Japan, the collecting process began slowly but surely: “I started to collect them here and there on my visits, especially the ones that had pictures of the 80s and animations or comic heroes that I could recognise from my own childhood”. Now, such dedicated collections has lead to publishing projects like the book Menko Toys, made in collaboration with the publisher Topsafe, which documents his vast collection of Japanese playing cards.

There is a certain melancholy when Antwan speaks of what draws him in. He reflects: “I think I have chosen a vast range of interests for my time on Earth. The problem is there is never enough time for me to realise all my ideas.” He sees the paths in front of him, and all excite him. Instead, to ease this, he focuses on the durability of the paths in his grasp. On why he collects, and the Menko Toys, project he says: “I love to see traces of life that show people actually held the cards in their hands.” In respect to lives not lived, Antwan sees life carved into the paths of others, appreciating how things last. Detailing his methods, he says, “I collect most of the things I like the shape of. Then comes the colour, the texture, etc. I don’t care about the price, or if it's in mint condition, or if people know about it”. He continues: “I focus my attention on the affection I feel for something.”

What’s on the horizon for Antwan? In his own words, "I want to share creativity for as long as I can with others, to spend positive times with whoever wants to try to engage in passionate conversations that could lead to whatever project.”