THE WHIM KNOCKED OUT OF HIM -

Written by Mutt Rousseau

NOLA 2021 | Artwork by Eileen Kineke

He lives a very finely balanced lifestyle, defined by the concentrated focus demanded by his chosen profession—he’s a cardboard box—and the intervals between assignments when he can surrender himself to being carefree and whimsical.

It’s a necessary balance. Without his work, his focus would be spread out rather than concentrated, and there wouldn’t be the same opportunity to fully indulge his whims; and without his whimsy, his cares would creep in and demand his focus, and there might not be enough focus leftover for his work.

One day he’s improperly packed, by no fault of his own, and when he’s unpacked the unpacker unintentionally knocks the whim out of him. He doubles over, trying to contain himself, but already he’s spread out in such a way that he knows his professional life is over.

He longs for the days when he was a piece of paper, before he was recycled, before he was fashioned into a cardboard box. When he was a piece of paper, everything was lighter, and he could drift for days without ever worrying about balance. Everything carries more weight when you’re cardboard. One day you’re packed up, and the next day you’re packed off.

A mixed media piece with swirls of acrylic paint and yarn depicting both the incoming hurricane and jazz soundtrack of New Orleans in August of 2021. Pops of yellow, green, and purple appear in buttons, glitter, sequins, and paint to bring to mind the spirit of Mardi Gras. Words and phrases are handwritten in paint throughout the piece, including “JAZZ,” “The Intersection of Chaos and Whimsy,” “YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL,” "Vaxx that A$$ Up,” “MSY TRAVEL READY 6’,” and “Emergency alert: Extreme.” A three-dimensional boarded-up window with a flower box rests on a painted brick wall and real moss is attached to a painted tree. Other familiar New Orleans symbols include iron gates, a fleur de lis, a tribute to Banksy’s Nola art, and a French horn. A boombox and a clock add to the artist’s own experience of visiting New Orleans right before a hurricane.

Helmut “Mutt” Rousseau was separated from his parents at a young age, and raised by Basset Hounds. Discovered in Banff National Park and reunited with his parents, Mutt grew from a feral child into a semi-literate adult. He lives and writes in Berlin, Ontario.