Prop and Generosity

 

    For this project, I wanted to give my classmates a space where they could write a letter to someone saying what they've always wanted to say, but never had the opportunity/ability to do so. Maybe this was due to loss, falling out with a person, or awkward tension. It could be a letter of gratitude, of sadness, of anger. I wanted to give each individual the space and agency to process something that they needed to express outwardly. There is something very significant about materializing one's thoughts onto a physical sheet of paper and pretending that they are directly addressing a specific person, but with zero intention of the person actually reading it. I encouraged each individual to pick out a writing device that might represent the "emotional" tone of the letter. I set a five minute timer, and once they were done writing, they could pick one of the envelopes that I handmade out of old magazines. I purposely made envelopes that could not be sent as a cathartic experience. The exercise was more of a "downer," then I expected, but in a really positive way, I believe. Everyone was sitting in the silence and processing for a while. I agree that if I were to do this again, I would have had some sort of lighter cool down at the end.