Sharing Ink

Interactive artist Sayraphim Lothian wants to create a little moment of enchantment in your everyday life. She wants you to stop and take notice of things normally unseen. Lothian’s new work, Sharing Ink, is distributing splashes of magic throughout the city, in what she terms “acts of guerrilla kindness.”

Creating a sense of interconnectivity between art and the public, Lothian’s project will see a series of books — handmade by local inscribers, screen printers and paper makers — dropped off at random locations in Melbourne’s CBD, waiting for someone to find. Working off the “ripple effect” concept, the project hopes to create joy in a person’s day so that they will pass it on and on, paying it forward like human dominos of happiness.

It’s not the first time Lothian’s work has promoted acts of guerrilla kindness. In 2012, her project For You, Stranger executed a schedule of “cupcake drops” – leaving fake cupcakes in sneaky street-side locations, like urban treasure. Sharing Ink marks the second instalment in this journey of incidental discovery.

Lothian’s work is influenced by similar movements taking place throughout the world.

“I’m really inspired by The Toy Society, and The Loveliness Principle, which is a group of people that get together and brainstorms how to…just make nice things happen.”

As of August, thirty of the uniquely crafted books will be abandoned in unlikely locations, waiting for their new home. If you’re lucky enough to find one, take it home and enjoy. Maybe one day you can leave it behind for the next person to find…and spread your own act of guerrilla kindness.

To find out more visit sayraphimlothian.com