My mom recently told me that she had started using her special-occasion china and silverware every day. She said if something chips or the gold starts coming off in the dishwasher, so be it. I learned my perfectionism from her, and this willingness to embrace the imperfections a well-lived life contains, as well as celebrate the present moment, is a significant break from a long-patterned life. I replied: “If not now, when?”
Orlando Villatoro creates images of QR codes (a means of getting information without physically touching anything) from everyday objects. One titled Human Code from 2020 is comprised of small ceramic jugs. Villatoro reminds us through his application of functional objects that it’s important to make decisions—both micro and macro—that spark joy daily because there is less value in waiting for a special occasion.
