Historical society, artist preserve 'Subway Therapy' notes
The subway sticky notes that New Yorkers used to express their thoughts about the future of the nation after last month's election will be preserved in a museum, officials announced Friday. The installation called "Subway Therapy" will be housed at The New-York Historical Society on Manhattan's upper west side, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced. Thousands of people have left messages in subway stations and tunnels since artist Matthew Levee Chavez created the project after the Nov 8 election. Chavez said he felt New Yorkers needed a place to vent their emotions after the election of Republican Donald Trump, whom few city residents supported.
The project quickly became a forum for New Yorkers and visitors to express their thoughts and feelings. One note read: "You will not divide us. Love is everything." Another said, "It doesn't end today." The museum will preserve a selection of notes as part of its History Responds program. Beginning Tuesday through Inauguration Day on January 20, 2017, members of the public can continue to participate in the project by placing sticky notes on the glass wall inside the museum's front entrance.
Chavez said he is "thrilled that we have found a way to work together to move the project and preserve it for others to experience in the future." "I started the project so people could have a channel to express their thoughts, feel less alone, and also become exposed to opinions different than their own," Chavez said. New-York Historical Society president Louise Mirrer said museum officials are happy to preserve the sticky notes for future generations. She said that ephemeral items "can become vivid historical documents."