For all you world-weary cynics out there (you know who you are) who can’t find anything in this crazy world to be happy about these days, allow me to bring you a little slice of joy. It just might reaffirm your faith in the innate goodness of average people.
Rachael Harms Mahlandt is an artist, photographer, neuroscientist (!) and miniaturist from Portland, OR. A few years ago she came across a humble roadside stand, a tiny gallery if you will, of toys encased in a small plywood display box. Intrigued, she began to hunt down and find other whimisical, small-scale dioramas around the city and thus inspired she made her own, the Dinorama.
It quickly sparked a movement. Together with a friend she made an online map and website, to locate and share other similar DIY art galleries, museums, and exchanges.
Sometimes called simply “trinket boxes”, they can be found in the most unassuming and out-of-the-way places, cropping up in front yards, alleyways, public parks, inside tree trunks and old phone booths. On her website, worldwidesidewalkjoy, she plots the locations of new submissions for inclusion on her map – sometimes 40 a day!
Many are as small as a mailbox, while others are ambitious recreations (in miniature, of course) of famous architectural landmarks.
None of them are there for profit of any kind. Many operate as free, honor-system trading posts: take any trinket you want, but leave one behind for the next guest. Help yourself to a coffee mug to add to your collection, just leave one of your extras to the next passerby.
And they work! There are literally thousands of tiny galleries and exchanges throughout North America, Europe, Japan and Australia. They succeed in bringing out the inner child in all of us, adding charm to local neighborhoods and creating an atmosphere of whimsy where it’s sorely needed.
They’ve also inspired a growing network of other websites that connect people to food pantries, libraries, jigsaw puzzles and more.
They reminded me immediately of a tradition in rural Japan, that of the unmanned food stall. Here, local farmers with excess produce lay out their wares in small kiosks or tables. The produce has prices clearly labelled, and visitors are admonished to pay the asked-for price, take only one, and don’t make a mess for others. No one would dare to break this social taboo by stealing or failing to pay full price. It just isn’t done.
Similarly, streetside displays are little pieces of wonder that, according to Ms. Mahlandt, have experienced very little reported theft or vandalism, although sadly it does sometimes happen. However, the outpouring of love and support has been overwhelming positive. It seems that people want to connect, want to share with each other and find pleasure in simple things. No batteries needed.
