tech

A New M.A.A.P. of NYC

M.A.A.P. is short for Massively Authored Artistic Project and is a succinct way of describing what Yellow Arrow is all about. Maybe you have seen one of the dictinctive yellow arrow stickers around the city and didn’t know what it was. Here is a quick rundown from the site itself:

“Participants place arrows to draw attention to different locations and objects — a favorite view of the city, an odd fire hydrant, the local bar.

By sending a text-message (SMS) from your mobile phone to 1.646.270.5537 beginning with your arrow’s unique code you associate it with a short text — messages can range from literary quotations to personal commentaries to game-like prompts to action.

When another person encounters the arrow, he or she sends the code to 1.646.270.5537 and immediately receives your message on their mobile phone.

Through this location-based exchange of text-messages, the Yellow Arrow becomes a symbol for the unique characteristics, personal histories, and hidden secrets that live within our everyday spaces.”

Michael Shanks posted about this “global public art project, urban game, and tool for collaborative experimental travel” in August, 2004 and Wired picked up the story around that time as well. Since then, it has only gained momentum and today when I got an email from Yellow Arrow, I thought I would share this project with those that read this little blog. So, sign up, get some arrows and tag the city your way!