You Are/I Am

December 14, 2004 7:54 AM

You are beautiful. is a project that reminds me of this. (previously discussed here.) Be sure to check out the postcards and books. I've signed up to participate.
posted by modernsquid (20 comments total)

Can you please explain this? What the hell is it? I clicked on a few links and got some photos that aren't especially informative or compelling.
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:22 AM on December 14, 2004

Okay, I was just going to ask if I was really dumb.

I don't get it.
posted by u.n. owen at 8:24 AM on December 14, 2004

Click on the pic for their statement. I just thought it was a good idea that produced some good work.
posted by modernsquid at 8:31 AM on December 14, 2004

You Are Beautiful uses the medium of advertising and commercialization to spread a positive message.

Graffiti artists-- is there anything they don't know?
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:41 AM on December 14, 2004

It's just Obey Giant, but instead of being weird for weird's sake, it's being nice for nice's sake..

I like it.
posted by Simon! at 8:50 AM on December 14, 2004

Mmm I love the 'sneak peek' at the books. I'd really like to try to make a book like that. The postcards are great as well - there's one that looks like it was drawn by Tim Biskup, a favorite pop artist of mine.
posted by iconomy at 8:54 AM on December 14, 2004

These guys are working out of my neighborhood, so it's been interesting to see all of this go down firsthand. I think it's been a mixed success artistically, but it's hard to argue with their intentions, and as far as I can tell they're working with essentially total anonymity, which is noble, in my opinion.

why is any semi-viral street art project "just obey giant"?
posted by Swampjazz! at 8:58 AM on December 14, 2004

y'know, it's nice to hear it from someone else, but I personally don't need advertising to tell me that I'm beautiful.
posted by kamylyon at 9:18 AM on December 14, 2004

I think I get it. Before I even read the statement I had my SASE filled out. Can't wait for the postcards.

It struck me very deep, although I can't say why.

Maybe I can.

The sentiment is very positive, but not treacly. It made me feel good. For the price of a stamp I can pass it along. Not bad.
posted by LavaLady at 9:27 AM on December 14, 2004

Thank you modernsquid. I love that you have to explore the site to really get the gist of the project (although the 'You Are Beautiful' mantra conveys the sentiment on its own).

Also reminds me of a graphic design presentation I went to recently that described an exhibition that was idealistic, amazing, and inspiring: Massive Change.
posted by superfem at 10:29 AM on December 14, 2004

^ Already discussed apparently.
posted by superfem at 10:37 AM on December 14, 2004

Damn.

I thought this was going to be a link to a Christina Aguilera fan site.
posted by mudpuppie at 11:00 AM on December 14, 2004

Swampjazz!: I'm sorry that I'm apparently not giving enough credence to the vast rainbow of diversity within the genre of "putting unusual, non-commercial stickers in public places to transform the urban mundane into participatory art." But I'm not seeing where this departs from Obey Giant, or the dozens of other, similar, antecedent projects.

As I said, I like it, but this isn't a artistic revolution. It's a bunch of stickers that think that I am pretty.
posted by Simon! at 11:21 AM on December 14, 2004

I like it. I'm signing up. Thanks, MS.
posted by Specklet at 1:08 PM on December 14, 2004

fandango_matt, Obey started as "Andre the Giant has a Posse" by a guy who was a student at RISD. He says it was an experiment in "phenomonology" or something like that. His name is Shepard Fairey. Interesting guy, actually. Here's an interview.

As to the You are beautiful stickers, I swear they were on the blue a year or 2 ago (maybe in reference to the toynbee tiles?). My stickers took about 6 months to arrive and of course I haven't actually put them anywear. They just sit in the envelope they arrived in. sigh.
posted by shoepal at 1:51 PM on December 14, 2004

As I said, I like it, but this isn't a artistic revolution.

No one has claimed that it is.

But don't let that stop you from finding something wrong with it.
posted by botono9 at 3:49 PM on December 14, 2004

Why does it have to be advertising? Because it's a public statement?
posted by tr33hggr at 4:44 PM on December 14, 2004

y'know, it's nice to hear it from someone else, but I personally don't need advertising to tell me that I'm beautiful.

um, isn't this a response to advertising?
posted by interrupt at 5:22 PM on December 14, 2004

save two stamps, fuck an ugly person. feel better? i didn't think so.
posted by breakfast_yeti at 6:28 PM on December 14, 2004

Reminds me of eternity
posted by Ritchie at 5:06 AM on December 15, 2004