100 billet doux

I have just started a quick project for Valentine's Day.

Over ten years ago I was working on a project which involved textual messages of love.
The first part of it involved putting up quite negative texts around the city, which were in response to my romantic situation at the time. Then when I started to feel more positive I distributed messages of love around the city instead. (see photo above)
It is interesting for me to notice, by looking back at my old sketch books, that I am still using texts, and still interested in love, relationships and the public/private dichotomy today. I think at the time what I was doing was quite unself-conscious - and of course the work is more rough and ready - also interestingly the text has inverted (colourwise) and has gone from black on white, to white on black.

I have decided to repeat the activity in a way, and so here is the call for 'participants:'

It is nearly Valentine’s Day.

10 years ago around this time I went into the city armed with a fistful of 100 love messages, printed in black text on white paper.

They were messages of love for strangers.

I put them under the windscreen wipers of people’s cars – and hoped that for someone somewhere they would ring true.

My Mum told me that this could cause trouble for people’s marriages. What if a jealous husband thought his wife was having an affair as a result of my little text? I prefer to think that they made someone, somewhere feel amazing for a second.

I want to repeat the act in some way now, ten years later – but this time the texts should not be unsolicited – they should come from you.

If you want me to send someone a message of love on your behalf - simply send me their name and address, and I will send them one of the love texts in time for Valentine’s day. Email me at billetdoux@yahoo.co.uk

The first 100 people will be selected.

Free Love.