Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the Westfield Mall in the landmark World Trade Center, lies a quiet respite for passersby to read and share. Welcome to the Strangers Project Exhibition.
The Strangers Project was started by Brandon Doman in 2009, as a small experiment, to explore the strangers we share space with every day.” As he asks, “Do you ever see a stranger and wonder - What’s it like being you.” The experiment was simple; he would hand out a blank page and ask participants to write whatever came to their minds that they were anonymously willing to share. Now, 13 years later and more than 65,000+ handwritten letters, Brandon’s grown this once simple experiment into a national experience.
Through July 31st, become a part of the exploration via the Strangers Project’s exhibition. Riley Group Inc visited the temporary space and unexpectedly felt overwhelmed with the vulnerability expressed. As you enter, the soft glow of string light against the stark white sheets of paper immerses you into a mindset of warmth and safety. While the elements were relatively sparse, the room was enveloped from the over 1,000 letters written during the exhibition's tenure.
The only decor aside from the hung letters were encouraging words: “this space is for you,” “what’s it like being you?” and “what’s your story?.” At first, RGI was only there to observe, but the willingness of others to share intimate stories, funny and sad, encouraged us to impart our anonymous pearls of wisdom.
Hurry before the exhibition ends, and give yourself a moment to reflect and share in these strenuous times. The project's creator communicated it best, “We’re living in a time where the differences between us are magnified. I believe that what starts as a simple act of listening can be a profoundly transformative experience. Exploring the lives of the people we share space with every day shows us how wonderfully human we all are. These stories engage strangers of all ages and backgrounds to reflect, rejoice, heal and connect through words.”