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Mysterious Letters
We intend to write to everyone in the world..
In April 2009, we sent a personal, handwritten letter to each of the 467 households in the small Irish village of Cushendall. We hoped these unsolicited letters would prompt neighbourly discussion, spreading across the town, promoting community curiosity.
In November 2009, we sent another bundle of letters, this time 620, to each home in Polish Hill, Pittsburgh, USA.
The art work consists solely of the discussion between the recipients about what on Earth these letters are, who sent them and why, etc.
Lenka Clayton & Michael Crowe
In April 2009, we sent a personal, handwritten letter to each of the 467 households in the small Irish village of Cushendall. We hoped these unsolicited letters would prompt neighbourly discussion, spreading across the town, promoting community curiosity.
In November 2009, we sent another bundle of letters, this time 620, to each home in Polish Hill, Pittsburgh, USA.
The art work consists solely of the discussion between the recipients about what on Earth these letters are, who sent them and why, etc.
Lenka Clayton & Michael Crowe
oh my oh my. i camp here during the summer for the feiledh. this made me cry with joy. i love you two. this is the most beautiful form of art there is.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful. A lovely project. I would love it if I received one. I would want to send one back though.
ReplyDeletehey guys! just wanted to let you know that i awarded you on my blog as a "blog i cant get enough of"! :) i absolutely love what you two are doing and think that it's so touching! anyways, take care!
ReplyDelete-Cassie
I'm enjoying this so much,
ReplyDeleteJo
oh this is wonderul! secret special mail is the best!
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful project. simply love this!
ReplyDeleteart of the heart.
ReplyDeletebeautiful
thanks for actioning it.
hugs to you.
eileen
dear lenka and michael~
ReplyDeletethis is a lovely project, please don't stop!
happy tuesday.
cheers
hallie~
Totally cute and heartwarming! Wonderful idea :)
ReplyDeleteDear Michael and Lenka - what a fascinating idea. You must have had so much doing this. You've certainly made my day brighter.
ReplyDeleteLove, Lily
p.s. I've posted a link on my blog because I think this is just the coolest idea....ever!
hi lenka and michael - i just discovered your blog via Design Sponge. how precious! it really brightened up my day and today's my birthday. :)
ReplyDeletefunny how the people on the news clip were scared of the letters. haha. thanks again!
you guys are AMAZING! what's really scary is the woman artist on the video who thinks this is scary. baffled, i understand. scary?
ReplyDeletekeep it going. i can't wait to get mine and maybe do some myself.
thank you!
I cant wait to get my letter!
ReplyDeleteImagine how scared the woman artist in the video would be if she knew about google search and google earth:)
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to getting a letter from you in the future.. and if you need help writing letters in Norwegian I'll be happy to help out:)
Dear Michael and Lenka,
ReplyDeleteI found your project via Design Sponge and wanted to thank you as it brightened up an otherwise grey day. I also wanted to say that the vicarious thrill of reading your post brought to mind the Extraordinary Correspondence of Griffin & Sabine...only it's very real. :) I'm rather looking forward to receiving your missive in my Toronto mailbox now!
Lots of love,
phoenix
"It's a wee bit scary" lol
ReplyDeleteWell done on really great idea!!! It's nice to see so much heart put into a project :)
Keep going!! I can't wait till I recieve my letter from Michael and Lenka.
I found your blog via the Free People blog and must say how lovely I think the whole idea is and that I'm actually quite surprised at the responses of these people! Scared? Really?
ReplyDeletethank goodness for art that is sometimes intrusive and a little 'scary'. you've done such a lovely thing.
ReplyDeletewhoa you got something big here.
ReplyDeleteI love it so much!!! Wonderful job. Keep going with all your letter writing. It warmed my heart.
ReplyDeleteI featured you in my latest blog! check it out here:
http://ruminationread.blogspot.com
hahaha this 'local art person' definately has no broad perception of the arts... she probably does watercolours or something
ReplyDeleteGreat project, very heartwarming.
I've come back again to look at the letters and watch the news piece. It's such a fascinating project!
ReplyDeleteI wish that I could see more of people's reactions to the letters.
I'd like to do this in my city but there are about 100,000 people here... Maybe I should just start with my street!
Sx
What a wonderful Idea! What a special treat for those who recieved one.
ReplyDeleteThis really is art in its truest form.
Congratulations guys, on a job well done.
Have a great day!
Jenni
PS. If you ever get around to doing Australia, please dont forget me. :-)
Wow this is lovely. I think I understand (so many may not) how this is art. It draws people closer together! :) Good on you!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lenka and Michael.
ReplyDeleteHere is a snippet from my blog which speaks of your work and it's impact:
...
I have been reading the recent piece created by Lenka Clayton and Michael Crowe lately and have fallen in love. I think this writing in particular is what has sparked the envy in me and the want to be able to create something incredible myself. Although I have been feeling this with most works that I have encountered lately, Lenka and Michael's in particular makes the desire to create beautiful words strong because I can so closely relate to this piece. I relate to the philosophy behind the work, relate to the spark that gave reason to it's creation, relate to what they hope to achieve from it, relate to the design of the work, relate to the approach they took, relate to the words and final outcome itself, I can just relate to it all. I think it would have been an amazing thing to do, just amazing.
...
I am about half way through Michael and Lenka's letters. The more I read, the more brush strokes are added to the stunning and high spirited picture that is being created here. A picture that entails dinosaurs, hermits and giraffes, just to name a few. With each letter I read I feel uplifted, excited and simply happy. I am inspired to make every moment of my life meaningful, and to strive to do incredible things with my life - to travel the world, to meet beautiful people, to appreciate the experience of simple things, like climbing a mountain or hitch hiking instead of taking the bus! What an awesome affect these two artists are having on me and not just me but hundreds of people that have taken something from their work. Gorgeous.
The entire post can be found at http://sunbeamsnsomebeans.blogspot.com/2009/08/thanks-postman.html
02.20- scary? I've got the exact oposite opinion. I would have jumped of joy if I were ever to recieve one of your letters. I guess I just have to wait untill you decide to start sending letters to Norway :D
ReplyDeletewhat a wonderful discovery! Thank you so much for your inspiration and "wherewithall" to do such a heart-felt thing for so many. may your creative spirits soar and eventually find me in New Mexico, USA!
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful, kind, heart-warming project.. if you need help with writing letters on the east coast of the US - please let me know!
ReplyDeleteHi, I have your link in my blog. I found this when I read that a girl had received one of your letters, I felt happy and jealous. I didn't understand why you've stop posting till I encourage myself to watch the video, I though I wouldn't understand a word since I don't speak english that well. But it was really clear. I don't like the news, they have always bad intentions. But it was great to see the town and that tower were you lived. I hope you both keep on doing art. Not only it would be so beautiful to receive a letter but anything that's hand made this days it's so precious.
ReplyDeleteI wish you the best of lucks...
If you ever send letters to Buenos Aires, Argentina...
;)
I got a postcard a few months ago from a stranger and wrote about it on my blog. I love the idea of giving people something. Last year I had an exhibition called 30 days of give and take, where I made something everyday and gave it away and documented the process. I mostly gave to people I knew - but the ones I gave to strangers were the best.
ReplyDeleteHow fabulous. Looking forward to the day I get mine.
ReplyDeleteHurrah! :) I only just discovered this blog today, and I must say, I think I've fallen in love! I've been doing something a tad similar for the past few months, leaving mini envelopes with stories and pictures in them at bus stops. But I have to say, this tops the lot :D
ReplyDeleteThough that artist lady made me a bit sad, it's terrible to think how cynical and unsafe the world has become.
I look forward to the day I can wake up to one of these *fingers crossed ;)*
taataa~!
E.