The Notepad Project

Back when the professional masses switched from crisp white paper to the now-ubiquitous yellow legal pads, they did so in hopes that the sharp color contrast between the paper and their ink would provide more clarity. The Notepad Project, released by SWAMP (Studies of Work Atmosphere and Mass Production), is determined to continue to improve on that goal—though in a very different way.

Taking literal inspiration from the famous latin proverb (oft repeated in college level philosophy, art and english classes) “Ars est celare artem”, or “True art lies in concealing the art,” SWAMP released many legal pads containing and hiding the name of Iraqi civilians who had been killed in the war, into the offices of the United States Congress. The names now lie, unnoticed and camouflaged, in the deceptive lines of the yellow notepads, used by the very same people who’ve tried to cover up the names.

Artists Douglas Easterly and Matt Kenyon spearheaded The Notepad project, which resides in the “Talk to Me” exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art, New York until November the 7th, 2011.

Details

• Art by

  Douglas Easterly, Matt Kenyon