Sometimes, the Thing Isn't Actually the Thing: Why Creatives Need to See Beyond the Frame

Designing the Candle or Designing the Room?

There’s a quote from Virgil Abloh that’s stayed with me: “I can either spend my time designing the candle, or I can spend my time designing the room that it sits in.” It’s such a simple yet profound idea. You can perfect the candle—the object, the art—but what if the room around it changes how it’s perceived? As Abloh says, “If I put this candle in an all-white gallery, it looks like art. If I put it in a garage, it looks like trash.” (This quote is taken from this video, Starting your own brand)

This idea forces us to think beyond just what we’re creating. It asks whether we’re spending all our energy on “the thing” without considering the environment, the story, or the space that gives it meaning.

As I’ve gotten deeper into my creative career, I’ve come to love the challenge of what lies beyond the object itself—what’s inside the frame versus what’s outside it. The more I explore this, the more I’ve realized that the thing we’re focused on might not even be the most important part at all.

The Seed and the Bigger Picture

This concept reminds me of planting a seed. It’s easy to focus on the final product, the fruit, but what about everything that happens before the fruit appears? The seed’s success depends on so much more than just putting it in the ground. You have to think about the soil, the sunlight, the water—everything that affects how it grows.

The same goes for creative projects. Are we just burying our ideas, or are we planting them intentionally in the right environment? The more we understand the conditions around our projects, the more we can nurture them into something great. If you plant a seed with intention, you’re thoughtful about its surroundings. If you just bury it, you’re leaving its fate to chance.

The question then becomes: Are we focusing too much on the product (the candle, the seed) without thinking about the room it lives in (the soil, the sunlight)? Are we just creating in isolation, or are we framing our work within a bigger picture?

Inside the Frame vs. Outside the Frame

This idea of “what’s outside the frame” also reminds me of artist Matthew Barney, who said, “It’s what’s outside the frame that’s scary.” His early experiences in sports taught him that within the frame of a game or a field, anything could happen—violence, victory, loss. But it’s the world outside that frame that feels uncertain, unpredictable. (This quote is taken from this article, 'It's what's outside the frame that's scary')

The same goes for creative work. Yes, we can focus on what’s inside the frame—the artwork, the product—but what about the context around it? The why behind it? How people experience it?

That’s where things get real. Focusing too much on what’s inside the frame can cause us to lose sight of the larger story. The “thing” we’re working on is important, sure, but it’s the environment, the audience, and the narrative around it that gives it life. When we spend all our energy perfecting the candle, we might miss the opportunity to shape the room it lives in, the space that makes it meaningful.

Framing with Purpose

I’ve grown to love the process of creating the frame and deciding how wide or narrow it should be. The frame gives context to the project, but it’s up to us to decide what we want to highlight. Don’t get me wrong—what’s inside the frame is still crucial. But what’s outside of it is just as important, if not more.

When we expand our focus beyond just the object in front of us, we start to see the larger story we’re telling. We begin to understand how every element fits together. It’s the combination of what’s inside and what’s outside the frame that gives a project its full meaning. When we take the time to define the space around our work—the narrative, the environment—it brings what’s inside the frame to life. It gives it purpose.

Are You Burying or Planting Your Projects?

So, where does this leave us? Are you, as a creative, spending too much time perfecting the candle without thinking about the room it’s in? Are you burying your projects without really nurturing them, or are you planting them in an environment where they can truly thrive?

The next time you’re working on something, ask yourself not just what’s inside the frame, but what’s outside of it. What’s the bigger picture? What’s the why behind what you’re doing? When you take the time to understand both what’s inside and outside the frame, you’re not just creating—you’re creating with intention. And that’s when your work becomes not only beautiful but also deeply meaningful.