Urban Interventions
The assignment after the first class was to propose behaviors that could be influenced through fun. One student proposed ‘Make New Yorkers Smile”. I keep stumbling across interesting projects that fall loosely into that theme. I am interpreting smile broadly here. Smile to me means stop, pause and think differently about the city. Take a scene, event or experience that we otherwise take for granted and enjoy it. The razor wire doilies do that for me. The behavior change may be just a one-time experience or one that continues to influence.
Below are a series of projects that made me stop and think. I discovered most of these on Spontaneous Interventions. A fantastic and inspiring collection of projects.
Eleven of my favorite projects:
- Improv Everywhere: The High Five Escalator and the
- Say Something Nice projects in particular
- Invasive Crochet by Artist Crystal Gregory’
- The Phone Booth Book Share Jon Locke’s “Department of Urban Betterment” (DUB) project
- 21 Swings: An Exercise of Musical Collaboration by Daily Tous Les Jours
- Derive App: Eduardo Cachucho
- Pixelator by artist jason Eppink
- Skipping Only Zone: Sierra Seip and Alison Uljee
- Christmas tree made from 40,000 recycled plastic bottles.: artist Jolanta Šmidtienė
- Subway Stories Project
- Pop-up lunch by Alexandra Pulver