“one only understands the things that one tames,” said the fox. “men have no more time to understand anything.” from The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry,
contemporary life continues to grow more complex and move at a faster pace. to accommodate these changes our systems of order have become more elaborate, yet the elements that comprise and populate these systems are increasingly simplistic. as the definitions and roles of these elements are refined they become ever more specific, passing from useful and integral to obsolete and wasteful.
styrofoam packing forms commonly included in packages are created for the content. similar to the definition of a word, these forms attempt to lock down a very specific thing. they outline and protect the thing within the context of the box. while in transport they serve their function well, but once the parcel has been unpacked these white forms lose their meaning. they styrofoam packing forms are objects that have been specifically created but nevertheless remain useless.
these few black and white images have been culled from an archive comprised of styrofoam forms from packages sent to my office. the photos’ intention of the photos is to call question our systems into question. have we overshot in our attempt to tame the objects in our lives? have we created definitions so simplistic and strict
title: Package 03
medium:
size:15” x 20”
date: 2008
definitions