The Last Word invites the public to write what was never said, the last words, and place it on a honeycomb wall, creating an intimate and collective space for reflection, memory and connection through words.
There are always things that are not said, that we keep to ourselves and remain inside us. The installation can be the perfect ending to a conversation with a stranger, an intelligent response to a debate at work, a farewell to a loved one and, above all, a space of opportunities to have the last word we have lost.
The Last Word provides an intimate moment to recover what was never said. The public can write their “last word” on paper, then roll it up and place it in small cavities in a cardboard wall that resemble the shape of a honeycomb.
The rolled up papers in which thoughts and emotions were captured can be read by other people who decide to participate, thus accessing a repertoire of varied ideas and reflections.
Everyone is free to be part of or limit themselves only to reading what others have captured and to reflect collectively. Words respect individuality, but they reveal that experience is greater when participation is collective. The work grows with the contribution of the public. Perhaps with these exercises we can get closer to understanding concepts such as happiness, sadness, desires and take advantage of the moment of self-reflection offered by art.
The Last Word It was activated from September 14 to October 12, 2019 it remained on display until November 9 of the same year at ARTZ.
The Illegal Art collective was founded in 2001 by artists Otis Kriegel and Michael McDevitt in New York. Its goal is to create participatory public art to inspire self-reflection, thinking and human connection. Each piece is presented or distributed in a way that encourages participation and is simple. His projects have been installed in the United States and South America, Europe and the Middle East.
The results of their project, Suggestion Box, were published by Chronicle Books (Suggestion, August 2005). Suggestion Box has also traveled to three continents, activated by individuals and groups from their local communities, collecting suggestions from tens of thousands of people, in numerous languages.
Illegal Art's work has appeared in media outlets such as National Public Radio, WNYC Radio, American Public Radio, The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, Entertainment Weekly, Flavorpill, The Public Art Review, Dwell Magazine, International Herald Tribune, Ad Age, The Guardian and the New York Times.
They were the first artists in residence at the 2013 SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas and have been awarded residencies at Vermont Studio Center, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Webb School of Knoxville and others.
Co-founder Otis Kriegel talks about the work of Illegal Art at TEDx Manhattan Beach in October 2018. Illegal Art also collaborates with other groups and institutions such as the architectural collective 1319, based in Buenos Aires, Argentina and the Museum of Urban Art in Rome.
His work has been published in numerous catalogs in the United States and Europe.
In September 2019, Illegal Art presented its projects in Mexico City for the first time: The Last Word, Suggestion Box, What Color Are You?, and Measure Up (an installation commissioned by Arte Abierto). The four public art pieces were located within ARTZ, and Suggestion Box was activated at Arte Abierto and at different locations throughout Mexico City. Each piece seeks public participation as a collective creative experience.
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