When you sit down with a copy of a PostSecret book or check out PostSecret.com every Sunday, you generally read the secrets that Frank Warren (curator of the PostSecret project) has laid out in that particular order. You'll flip through the pages starting at page one, and you read the blog from top to bottom. So when I first walked into the PostSecret exhibit, it felt like I was pushed into the deep end of a pool. I was completely immersed in over 400 secrets that were selected for the exhibit and had no idea where to start and where to go next.
I'll admit I was eager - I've been expecting this exhibit for a good two months. Standing at the entrance to the exhibit, I stared at sets of plexi-glass, each panel holding a dozen secrets. This freestanding layout of the exhibit makes the secrets appear like spirits suspended in midair.
One thing for sure is that you don't need to be a PostSecret fan to enjoy the PostSecret exhibit. In fact, the exhibit is a much more powerful introduction to the project. The exhibit is tactile. You cannot only see the postcards, you can actually feel them (not literally, but the plexi-glass heightens the illusion and desire to reach out and touch them) which makes the experience all the more real, as compared to the virtual nature of the website. What made the exhibit even more interactive was the incorporation of multimedia elements showing past interviews with Frank, slide shows of secrets and the music video for the All American Reject's song "Dirty Little Secret".
There were two things that really stood out to me. The first was the mural of envelopes patterned into one corner of the exhibit. This was a fantastic showcase to show just how creative people get when sending in their secret. These envelopes were covered in quotes, poetry and general philosophy - all interconnected to be inspiring words of wisdom. Words of courage. Words of release and relief.
The second thing that stood out to me is what I feel compliments the exhibit the most - the Secret Station. The art gallery has set up a place for visitors of the exhibit to write down their own secrets, and in turn, the gallery will mail them to Frank. While this is a great idea, the area could be a bit more private as the flow of the exhibit passes directly beside it.
Beautiful. Brave. Manipulative. Voyeuristic. Brilliant. Gorgeous. Intimate. Emotional. Intense. People were laughing; others were crying. Some seemed oblivious to the reality around them.
These were the sights and sounds I overheard. And they are all right. Frank has created a perfect medium to showcase the humility of human nature. Through our fears and our regrets, our sadness and our hope, PostSecret reminds us that we are never as alone as we feel. It shows us that we are all connected, whether we recognize it or not, and that the world is a more beautiful place than we give it credit for. And the most beautiful thing of all is the one thing that joins everyone who has ever submitted a secret together - courage. Because in the end, courage is where it all begins.
To see more pictures of the exhibition at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, please click here.
The exhibition runs at the WAG from November 2007 to February 2008. The exhibition's next scheduled stop is Melbourne, Florida starting May 2008.
