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10/15/2007: "CLEAN HOUSE" by Michael Corbin
Have you ever watched that television show called, "Clean House"?
It cracks me up. Sassy host Niecy Nash and cohorts schmooze their way into
the homes of families where filth, clutter and confusion have everyone in a
choke hold. Each time I watch this program, usually the result of channel
surfing, I'm amazed.
"Now that's ridiculous! How can those people live like that?" I ask ...
sounding like chief justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Why is it so easy to look at other people's lives and be judgmental? What
do we get from that? I don't know ... but one thing I DO know is that here
I am ... looking at my own place and guess what? I need to clean house
myself.
Is that tv show my inspiration? Yes, I suppose it's partly responsible, but
there's really ONE major reason why I'm cleaning house. ART. Yes, that
three-letter word has come to haunt me once again. There's just so much
clutter in my home. Don't get me wrong, my clutter is nothing like the
people on the show, but action is needed. How did this happen? Actually,
as a collector, I know exactly how it happened...
Scenario 1: Flea Market. "Oh WOW! Look at that wagon wheel! I don't know
know ANYONE who has one of those!" I say to myself. One year later, I have
two, big wooden wagon wheels in my home doing nothing but taking up valuable
space.
Scenario 2: Bookstore. I'm browsing through the cheap bookstore in my
neighborhood. I'm just here to look and not buy. Next thing I know, I'm
walking out with two heavy coffee-table books that I got for $30 total.
"I'm not going to get this deal anywhere else," I tell myself.
You know where I'm headed with this. After doing this for most of my adult
life, I now have a house full of crap that I just don't need. Why did I
think I needed two coffee bean grinders? It's ridiculous. Actually, most
of the things I'm getting rid of are pretty cool, but I don't care if you're
at a Sotheby's auction of priceless Prince Philip memorabilia. If you can't
maneuver your way around the place because it's so cluttered, royal
treasures suddenly become crap. When even fantastic material things block
your vision or walking path, it's time to clean house.
So, I've decided to get my packrat ways under control. By the way, many
collectors consider it beneath them to be called, "packrats." Doesn't the
word "collector" sound so much more elegant and educated? However, let's be
real here. At the end of the day, what is a collector really?
We live in a society where people just accumulate STUFF. Treasured items
become stuff when they've lost their personal meaning or never had it to
begin with ... we just brought it home anyway. Somehow we think that by
getting MORE, the quality of our lives will be better. However, here I am,
in my living room surrounded by a bunch of stuff and I feel wretched. This
stuff is going straight to Goodwill. At one time, all of these things had
meaning, but why did I think I needed to keep seven plastic Chinese food
containers? They come complete with lids and they're great for carrying
lunch to work, but STILL! Our society has so much stuff that it's
constipated. We've gotten so stuck up (constipated) that we actually think
we're better than other nations simply because we have more STUFF. We need
an enema.
Now, let me tell you about my art magazines! After trying to find a home
for them for months, I finally took almost 300 art magazines (all in great
shape) to the humongous recycling bin in my community. I actually had
trouble donating them to the local art school in town. I wanted art
students to benefit from them, but the university library selections are now
electronic. I feel bad about taking them to the dumpster, but I tried. At
least they're being recycled. I just needed to clear my head ... not to
mention make room for future magazines.
As I plow through all of this junk, I'm playing a game with myself just like
Ms. Nash does with the people on the show. I say, "Okay Mike, if you give
up this old chair, I WILL GIVE TO YOU a brand new painting!" Like Niecy
Nash's bargaining, this tends to work. I'm doing this for art because when
you think about it ... art is really the highest form of collecting
(packratting?). Art is about so much more than mere canvas, clay, wood or
mixed media. It's about more than the material. It's about ideas and human
expression.
In short, that's just the loophole that I need. Many things are going, but
all of my art is staying. In fact, more art is on the way. Yes, this was a
job for "Clean House," but I'm doing the job MYSELF. No, I won't be
returning to my packrat ways because art is really all I care to live with.
Right now, EVERYTHING MUST GO! I'm going to have the cleanest house on the
block! Finally, fresh air!
Gee, I'm really gonna miss my bed, sofa, refrigerator, televisions and
computer.
MICHAEL CORBIN IS AN AVID ART COLLECTOR AND AUTHOR OF "ART IN KING SIZE
BEDS: A COLLECTOR'S JOURNAL." CHECK IT OUT AT WWW.ARTINKINGSIZEBEDS.COM.
