The collective art of healing
January 15. 2017 |
Paste Magazine
Anonymous notes – carrying messages of hope, loss, confusion and anger – recently flooded the walls of New York City’s Union Square subway station. They weren’t the work of a Banksy-like vandal. Instead, they came from tens of thousands of people who were trying to make sense of the recent election and find some comfort in the feelings that stemmed from its results. That’s right: in one of the most bustling cities in the world, scores of people were compelled to pause, reflect and contribute to collective art that heals.
The Subway Therapy installation, created by artist Matthew “Levee” Chavez, collects the thoughts of commuters onto Post-it notes that cover subway walls all over the City. Community-based art depends on interaction and dialogue, and people of all walks of life have been more than willing to contribute to this conversation.