NYC's 'Subway Therapy' wall is transformed into a brilliant interactive holiday card
This has been a rough year, but don't lose hope yet.
We all deserve to end the year on a positive note, so First Look Media has created the perfect holiday card to enjoy and share with others.
The creative idea was inspired by one of the bright spots of 2016 following the election: "Subway Therapy," the positive and peaceful Post-it note protest in Manhattan's Union Square subway station.
After the election results were announced in November, residents of New York City used the walls of the busy subway station to express themselves on brightly colored office supplies.
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On Dec. 16, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo tweeted that the sticky notes aren't going to be taken down any time soon, but now, people who aren't in New York have a way to marvel at the beauty.
As the sticky note protest began to spread, First Look Media saw how impactful the movement had become and decided to immortalize sections of the wall in a holiday card. The card allows users to zoom in and read the comforting messages by simply scrolling their cursors over the image.
First Look Media's simple but powerful link to the card states, "2016 was a year like no other."
A short description about the interactive, landscape photograph reads:
"On 11/9/16, New Yorkers began sharing messages of hope, love, grief and protest on the subway walls. As a company founded on the principles of the First Amendment, this random display of community and free speech resonated. We’ve created this card as a way of celebrating the power of the word in the public square. Here’s wishing that 2017 brings you peace, joy and positive change."
The creator of the public art installation, Matthew Levee Chavez, said, "I started the project so people could have a channel to express their thoughts, feel less alone, and also become exposed to opinions different than their own," and that's exactly what he's done.
A spokesperson from First Look Media told Mashable, Chavez's work really resonated with them. "We literally grabbed a photographer and went to Union Square and shot it, with the idea in mind of archiving this amazing work of art..."
The media company has also created a hard copy book inspired by the walls.
UPDATE: Dec. 23, 2016, 11:19 a.m. EST Updated with comment from First Look Media spokesperson.
Nicole is a Senior Editor at Mashable. She primarily covers entertainment and digital culture trends, and in her free time she can be found watching TV, sending voice notes, or going viral on Twitter for admiring knitwear. You can follow her on Twitter @nicolemichele5.
