Almost a decade ago and across the country, I started a journey that in a lot of ways is really just beginning today. Today, the mapping platform I self-funded and the WordPress website I built to function in tandem with it are both finally ready for public consumption.
It’s already been a long road and there’s so much more I want to do, but today I can celebrate because the digital home I envisioned for this work is finally ready to live in. The existing 2,000+ artworks in the database have already moved in, and now I can take my time getting comfortable and slowly but surely archiving the art I care so much about—the art that exists in public spaces. And you can share the art you find too, and then that information is accessible to everyone, so that we can all know what art exists out there for us.
There’s a lot I’ve learned since trying to bring this project to life in 2013: open-source code leaves you incredibly vulnerable to malware, spam, and cyberattacks; bringing together art and technology is like trying to get a lion to befriend an antelope; and if you want to raise money for something, the only people who really care enough to give are your friends and family so you just kind of have to get over how weird that whole thing is.
But for now, I’m beyond excited to share my new corner of the internet with you. Please stay as long as you like. I hope you like it here as much as I do.
