Learning to love you more

Started in 2002, Harrell Fletcher and Miranda July’s online project, Learning to Love You More, reaffirms the notion that rules are a good thing. As they explain it:

“Sometimes it is a relief to be told what to do… our most joyful and even profound experiences often come when we are following other people’s instructions. When we are making crepes from a recipe, attempting to do a handstand in yoga class, or singing someone else’s song. Sometimes it seems like the moment we let go of trying to be original, we actually feel something new.”

Visitors to the website (which you can find here at – www.learningtoloveyoumore.com) are invited to accept an assignment, complete it by following the instructions and send in a report via text, photo, video, etc. Reports are posted online in a catalogue of over 5,000 the last time they counted.

The formula they’ve developed delivers rich, captivating, meaningful content. It drives people to action in all sorts of ways. What helps make this model of soliciting creative contributions successful:
- Assignments which provide rules and structure for contributions.
- Authorship is shared, the artists maintain curatorship but content is entirely made up of participant work. Participants are also free to curate their own exhibitions of assignments.
- The modest but gratifying reward of getting published and being part of a community.

After 7 years of assignments, contributions, exhibitions, screening broadcasts and involvement of over 8000 people, the site finally closed up shop. All assignments and contributions are still available for browsing on the site, and you can purchase the book there too.

Assignment 55: Photograph a significant outfit