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So many things are packaged. Everything you buy is wrapped in varying degrees of plastic, cardboard, sticky stuff and more. The thing itself is probably so far away from its origins; its own mother would not recognize it. This is a symptom of modern times; symptom in relation to disease. I think in first world countries today, this is a real catastrophe. It is catastrophic for the environment and the soul. Third world countries are clamoring to jump on the bandwagon, and all the ones in between are reacting in one way or another. Consider package vacations, tours, hotel packages, on and on and on. Even art is not immune. Maybe it never was.

Human beings seem to have an uncanny sense for packaging things. I wonder how they did it in the Stone Age. Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble aside, Fred being the Danny DeVito of prehistoric packaging a la Hanna-Barbera. Take the wheel or fire, or discovering a good place to live. Did they make fancy brochures, tout it on the local broadcasting system, entice with irresistible scratch and sniff flyers? Why is not the thing itself good enough?

I think we somehow need reassurance. Reassurance that what we are buying, doing, wishing for is acceptable. Acceptable? Acceptable to whom? Well, they of course! And who are they? They are the ones who are going to come and get you one day if you don’t toe the line. The ones that win when you choose the safe way. The ones that say I told you so when a risk you took did not work out.

What about Art? Are not the rebels in society, the ones on the cutting edge, the ones who are the artists? Not necessarily. I think a lot of art today has to do with settling and acceptance. Acceptance of the status quo among other things. That brings it around again to the notion of packaging. It makes it safe. Safe for what? Safe for consumption. Safe to not rock the boat, safe to match the couch, and curtains and whatever else acceptable reasons for making art are extolled today. Personally, I am sick to death of packaging. It takes the edge off, and we need that edge. We need to experience that edge. Let’s not settle for something that is all already done for you.

It is extremely hard to get away from this mindset because it is everywhere. Stores, restaurants, public buildings, city parks subdivisions and more are packaged, marketed and sold. It is in plays, in books, in movies, and in politics, and it is a killer. It kills creativity, it kills enthusiasm, and it kills the spirit. The next time you go to the art store to buy your kid some supplies, steer clear of the sets. Get some paint, paper and brushes for your child. Avoid the step by step videos, the pre-cut, pre-glued, pre-anything things. If you go to a fine art gallery or a fine craft fair, don’t buy the painting with the adorable kittens, or the styrofoam angel with glitter, get the real thing. How do you know the real thing? Oh, it’s the one that you can feel, that isn’t just one of a million more like it.