Exhibition and Happening
Peoplescape: A year-long social experiment.
The first Peoplescape Happening occurred on June 13th 2009 in Chicago, IL. Over 350 people came together to celebrate human connection and break down social barriers. The event showcased the results of Maria Scileppi's year-long social marathon. Beginning June 10th of 2007, she made it her mission to connect with a new person every day for 366 days (it was a leap year), documenting each encounter with a photo and a narrative. Her stated intention was, “I am creating a conceptual, multi-dimensional map of my world by meeting and documenting at least one new person every day for a year. People are my medium and Peoplescape is my art. I will bring everyone together for the opening of the show. As they meet each other, the human map of connection will fold on itself and continue to grow…” And grow it did. A picture and story for each of the 412 people Maria met during that year hung on the wall. The cost of entry was writing an answer to the question, “What have you done that no one else in the room has done”? When this was turned in, they received someone else’s answer. Their mission: find the person whose card they had, giving people a reason to walk up to anyone in the room and start a conversation. Many people eventually found their person, and those who did not were so fascinated with the answers that the cards became conversation pieces. The energy of the Happening was warm and dynamic; the atmosphere was filled with the chatter of strangers becoming friends over the beats of the DJ’s. People connected, stories were shared, and friends were made.
Buy your Peoplescape poster here.
