The Post Family at Chicago Urban Art Society

Installation view of "The Post Family: Collections" at the Chicago Urban Art Society, 2011.

Photo: Chicago Urban Art Society

If the Post Family were tasked with rescuing a hoarder from being buried alive by clutter, it probably would suggest some thoughtful design solutions instead of disposing of the accumulated junk.

The seven members of this art and design incubator have curated more than 200 clear glass jars of various sizes, appealingly arranged on Family-made shelving and accompanied by explanatory tags, to showcase the collections that inspire them—and broaden viewers’ notions of what can serve as creative fuel. sam’s last cigarettes, says a jar containing a crushed pack of smokes; a container of religious tracts is labeled the road to salvation.

Comprising stories, punch lines, secrets and objets trouvés, these jars house dime-store collections like tiny American flags on toothpicks and plastic birthday clowns, as well as more offbeat content such as a red rubber band labeled large rubber band for sex and an empty jar with the tag fresh pilsen air. (Unsurprisingly, both of these “offbeat” jars already sold.) Prices seem to increase along with sentimental value: A jar of love letters costs $2,500.

Mounted on a giant wall in the middle of the gallery, vivid giclée prints (including some by non-Family members) provide an up-close look at other personal collections, such as Chad Kouri’s tidy bundle of markers and Crystal Grover’s delicate packets of vintage seeds. On an outer wall, Rod Hunting’s custom boxes of colorful floppy disks make artistic use of an obsolete item. These color studies aren’t heady works, and that’s okay. It’s refreshing to see design-conscious artists use everyday objects without getting hung up on functionality. Thus, a box of floppy disks needn’t be a DIY coffee table; it can stand alone as an art piece. In the proper jar, even a bunch of rusty Corona caps becomes a thing of beauty.