Art of the Box

We say that art is thinking out of the box. That freedom and open space offer inspiration and this inspiration is what forms art. The higher ceiling, we think, affords more wondrous creation. But I think this is wrong.

I think boxes create art.

Orson Welles, the director of Citizen Kane and other great films, believes that the best art rises out of constraints. Whether physical or financial, constraints force artists to push their creative limits, and it offers an economic edge to a work. Welles believes that constraints are necessary for art to exist. With no deadline, for instance, a work would never be finished. Or in the absence of a budget, unnecessary costs will occur. Without a container to provide shape, how could art hold any form?

The enemy of art is the absence of limitation.

Too often we push for divergent thinking and “innovation” but do not give it the proper limitations to grow. This may seem oxymoronic, but it carries weight. When given a white canvas and hundreds of paints, the possibilities are limitless. While this abundance is a wonderful privilege, the artist may struggle to make something beautiful–for there are no setbacks to excite her creative ingenuity. But this is not something the masses have understood, historically. For a renaissance period to occur, a civilization needed peace and prosperity. When basic functions have been satisfied, art could be produced. More time could be devoted to creative ventures, so the arts would flourish. But after a time, the period would end and some calamity would begin–famine, war, etc.–and the arts would go dormant. This makes sense, of course, because why would anyone paint a portrait when they should be growing food or building weapons?

But do these struggles not spark inspiration? The hardships and constraints of war and famine have motivated some of the greatest art. This is not to say that horrible things are necessary and that art can only exist in hard times, but unbridled freedom is not an incubator for art.

Some of the best ideas rise out of brainstorming sessions when clear requirements and constraints are defined. Once given boundaries, the creative process can ensue. Fresh ideas are sparked from the friction between constraints and can form thoughts that challenge the boundaries. As they burn, these ideas can find innovative means to operating within and around limitations. Some red-tape is good, for when it binds our hands, we let our feet do the creating. If our hands were never bound, our feet would’ve never had the chance to express themselves. Constraints can be frustrating, but they challenge us to think different. To think inside the box.