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Beauty is in the Street

Launch gallery slideshow

Beauty is in the Street
Swap Coordinator:hollyholly (contact)
Swap categories: Challenges 
Number of people in swap:21
Location:International
Type:Type 3: Package or craft
Last day to signup/drop:May 21, 2011
Date items must be sent by:June 18, 2011
Number of swap partners:1
Description:

"La Beauté est dans la Rue", or "Beauty is in the street", was one of the famous slogans of the May 1968 student uprisings in Paris. For this swap, let's shut down our computers, engage with humanity, and bring some beauty of our own to the streets.

This swap has a few stages, so bear with me.

First, you will need to create a beautiful object. This can take whatever form you deem fit, but the important part is that you will be leaving it in public for somebody else to find, and it should be something that inspires some form of beauty or thought or passion or engagement in them, either literally or more metaphorically. So, for example, you could create a zine which is a guide to cultivating originality and creativity in one's life in an age of mass-produced dross. You could do a little painting on a postcard you've made, with a note on the back to the finder. You could make a matchbox filled with tiny found objects. You could create a revolutionary t-shirt with a screen-print of one of the original Paris '68 poster images. You could knit a colourful scarf. You can do whatever you like, but the point is that you make something that you think interprets the idea of "Beauty is in the street" for a stranger to find and hopefully love, that will inspire them in some way.

Now, once you have made your object, you are going to need to go back and do exactly the same again. In other words, make its twin.

Next, take your first object, and go and leave it for a stranger to happen upon. You can either leave it out in the open somewhere where it will be quickly found, like a park bench or bus seat, or you can hide it somewhere like in a library book or between the cereal packets at the supermarket. Where you leave/hide your object will of course depend too on its size. If you like, you could affix a label to your object to tell its finder that s/he is welcome to take it home, and perhaps include the slogan "La Beauté est dans la Rue" for added excitement and mystery for them.

Once you have left your object, take a photo of it in its new temporary home as a record of where you've put it. You might have to be a bit surreptitious whilst doing this.

Finally, you will need to put a nicely-printed out copy of your photo, along with the object's twin, into a package that you will send to your partner. Please also include a note with your package to explain your thought processes behind both the object and the place you decided to leave it.

So, to recap, you will make two objects, hide one of them, take a picture of it in its hiding place, and send the picture, a note, and the other object to your partner.

Everybody, including newbies, is welcome for this swap, although I will ban anyone who looks dodgy. I will check all profiles, so message me with an explanation if you have an unfair rating or an average of below 4.5 but still want to join.

Discussion

ssshauna 05/ 5/2011 #

Great Swap! Way to make a swap worth the postage!

OK swappers, lets get this one going! Get in on the swap that will leave the realm of the post office and see the light of the world, and add to the beauty of the street and the liberation of the art world to the many!

kindledwhimsy 05/ 5/2011 #

Wonderful and perfectly contagious! Love it!

hollyholly 05/ 5/2011 #

Thanks, glad you are both excited about this and thanks for joining!

Snoskimouse 05/ 5/2011 #

This swap is lovely it reminds me of a graphic novel called 'The Plain Janes' if anyone has read it..? :3 Also of the film 'Amelie'. I love it!

mishap 05/ 5/2011 #

I am watching but I am nervous I don't know what I could make and I want to do it! I am not an artist :( I do make "fused salts" Like acho chili and lime salt and citrus salt would that work?

mskadie 05/ 5/2011 #

Can we make yarnbombs as our objects?

KentuckyGal 05/ 5/2011 #

This is something that is just enough outside my comfort zone to be appealing for growth, but not so much that it makes me hyperventilate. Excited to get started!!!

egalite 05/ 5/2011 #

@mskadie from the swap description, it sounds to me like yarn bombs would be perfect... as long as the one you send to your partner has an instruction on how to install it. I want to knit something for this swap too!

hollyholly 05/ 6/2011 #

@mishap of course, that sounds great, make whatever it is that you feel comfortable and happy with.

@mskadie yes, yarn bombs would be excellent.

And thanks to everyone else so far who has joined!

Hairsprayqueen 05/ 6/2011 #

rad.

sassyaddie 05/11/2011 #

Love, love, love the idea! If I wasn't just getting started I'd would join this one in a heart beat!

samjowers 05/12/2011 #

What is a "yarn bomb"?

jenotype 05/17/2011 #

I have been WAITING for a swap just like this one!! Am so excited! @ Snoskimouse....Amelie is one of my all time fav movies!

Strawberry 05/17/2011 #

this is such a great and original idea. I would love to join this if it was just about any other time but now! I hope you'll be doing more of these in future because if so, I'll definitely be in!

nchrisco 05/17/2011 #

I'm so excited for this one. I have the perfect spot to leave my piece of Beauty.

rabbitsdream 05/18/2011 #

What a creative idea. I usually leave my artwork in random places hoping someone will find it every now and then!!! So awesome!

kindledwhimsy 05/19/2011 #

I am going to move to the watch list; I can't in good faith sign-up for this swap as there is an impending Canada Post strike and I believe the vote is supposed to take place on May 26th... I'd hate to sign up and risk disappointing someone. I was really looking forward to this swap!... :0( I may just put together the local portion of the swap to keep the spirit!

craftyfairy 05/20/2011 #

oh no! i havnt heard anything about this? a strike? i am in canada too? eeep.

ssshauna 05/25/2011 #

Hey Craftyfairy - let's just charter a plane over to Europe or the US or wherever we need to deliver these goodies - and make sure personally that they get to their destinations! What d'ya say? Know anyone with a plane... or perhaps a tandem bicycle or even a paddleboat? F*#!¡ Canada Post!

fairyoflostthings 06/ 3/2011 #

http://news.bostonherald.com/entertainment/artsculture/view/20110602ohioartistsseektogetworksinhandsofpublic/srvc=home&position=recent

An example of taking beauty to the streets.

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