Ink, Memory, and Post-its: When Handwriting Becomes a Modern Artform
A sticky note might seem like a humble office supply, but in the hands of curator Hans Ulrich Obrist, it transforms into a canvas for some of the world’s most influential artists. For over a decade, Obrist has collected handwritten notes from creative minds, each scribble capturing a fleeting thought, a wish, or a spark of wisdom.
These tiny squares—sometimes shaped like TV screens or even heads—carry messages in many languages, from hopeful mantras to playful instructions. The constraint of the Post-it’s size, inspired by the Oulipian tradition of creative limits, pushes artists to distill their ideas into pure, punchy form. Obrist’s new book gathers a hundred of these moments, offering a rare, analog glimpse into contemporary culture’s digital swirl.
In a world racing toward pixels and screens, these handwritten fragments remind us that sometimes, the most powerful messages fit in the palm of a hand.
#HandwritingMatters #ContemporaryArt #CulturalHeritage #Culture
