“The box, the simple box, may be the art form of the 21st century. With or without its sixth wall, it promises a mystery; when its contents (or lack thereof) are displayed, some deeper mystery often remains.” Susan Cokal, writing for the New York Times

Every two years the Akron Area Arts Alliance presents the Arts Alive! Awards Celebration, a gala evening event to honor outstanding individuals in the arts. Arts Alive! is also a fundraiser for the Arts Alliance and includes the Out of the Box Silent Auction. Artists are invited to donate a piece of ‘box’ art – actual boxes or box-inspired pieces in any media.

Thursday, October 17, was the opening reception for the Out of the Box gallery exhibition. The silent auction begins in the gallery and closes during the Arts Alive! Celebration. Here’s a peek at several from among the thirty-five artist-made boxes – the selection is particularly tempting this year!