"Guerilla Art"

Guerilla art is another area that I have been experimenting with. Keri Smith describes it in her book Guerilla Art Kit, as “any anonymous work (including but not limited to graffiti, signage, performance, additions and decoration) installed, performed, or attached in public spaces, with the distinct purpose of affecting the world in a creative or thought-provoking way.” (11) She further explains that “Guerilla art can be anything you want—an idea, an expression, a movement, an experience, an outlet, a way of connecting, a way of documenting, a challenge, a form of play, a statement, a performance, an attitude, a practice, an improvisation a ritual.” (14) I loved this idea of putting a message out into the world anonymously. It has been exhilarating to think that you can make someone think about something differently or “make their day” with an encouraging message. My experiments have been messages left around Bluff Point on or with natural objects such as shells, leaves and branches. They say things like, “listen”, “you are special”, “what do you care about?” and “wonder” to name a few. I have left hundreds of them on park benches, hiking trails, the beach, large rocks, and most recently in different places in the airport.

I believe that a message like this would make me stop and think if I came across it in the course of my day and can only hope that my work can inspire the same reaction that Smith describes when she says, “For a moment I am taken out of my known world and presented with an alternative, one that is unexpected and daring, one that makes me think about the space a little differently. These little gestures encourage me to not take our life so seriously, to contemplate for a moment something outside the predictable. They reawaken a sense of connection to the environment by pointing out something I might not have seen, by adding a new image to the world that is unexpected, or by presenting and alternate point of view.” (10)

Although my message isn't what one might consider "deep" I just wanted to see if I could effect someone's day in a positive way. These small gestures are an experiment for me with public art, which is different than my studio work, although I think that I am always striving to relate to the world in a positive way with my art. I am open to suggestions for more meaningful messages and possible ideas for the winter months. Also, I am wondering what you would think if you came across a message like this on a trail or a park bench? What would you want someone to say to you? Would you think of this as graffiti?