Constraint is the Condition of Art

After ditching my smartphone for a dumbphone, I found myself missing photography. This led me to acquire a Pentax K1000 film camera—a dead simple camera that doesn't need a battery, doesn't have a timer or even a DoF toggle. In 2025 it's an unneeded constraint, but for the first time in a very long time, I'm excited to take photos again. It feels difficult in the very best way.

The K1000 has taught me something about art in general: constraints are the condition of art. Da Vinci preferred silverpoint because it was unforgiving in its precision. It's only with constraint that a poet composes a sonnet. In abundance we're not finding creative freedom, but the death of creativity. Modern art is more often than not measured in likes, comments, and follows. The lack of constraints and ease of use has resulted in a deluge of content that's there for one minute and replaced in the next. Content is instant, infinite, and disposable. Art is slow, thoughtful, and purposeful. Its value isn't measured in impressions.