In 2007, Louisiana native, Candy Chang, put her pursuit towards a masters degree in urban planning at Columbia University on hold. In its place, she trekked to Johannesburg, South Africa to cultivate more efficient communication in the lacking township. Innovative communal connection and interaction methods were long overdue. Prior to Chang’s arrival, a young girl strayed away from home; her whereabouts unknown for 72 hours. In spite of young girls’ rescue and return, the privation of wide-spread communication impeded the investigation. Chang, with the help of her team, improved the dismal limitation with an ingenuous, yet effective solution: enormous blackboards in tumultuous parts of town. Immediately, the words on the blackboard caught the eye of passer-bys, and were relentlessly spread by word of mouth. The township which once lacked a local radio station began to talk; the township which once walked blindly became aware; the township which once existed sans connection allied.
Chang’s triumph in South Africa persuaded her to continue the conversation in the United States, in addition to her sequestered struggle - abysmal depression after the death of a loved one. She tussled with seemingly ceaseless despair and she grappled with joy, but she yearned for perspective. So in 2011, she refurbished an abandoned house in the heart of post-Katrina New Orleans, into a home for people to anonymously and intimately interact like her - an introvert's dream. With the city’s permission, she painted the side of the deserted residence with chalkboard paint, enthused by the blackboards in the Johannesburg township. She transformed the lifeless wall to a mural chalk-full (#punintended) of life: she festooned it with the now notorious affirmation, “Before I die...” in giant, striking font. She didn’t stop there, either. She put her spray paint and stencil to work to provide copious space for wall-goers to freely fill in the “I want to ___” blank. The performance-art piece supplies the chalk, and wall-goers express their individual aspirations.
Chang didn’t know what was to come of the “Before I die…” communal project, but within 24 hours it was evident the collaborative art installation was a local sensation. It wasn’t long before the wall dwelled worldwide; 1,000 walls, in over 35 languages, inhabit over 70 countries and counting. The impact of the muted testimonies speaks to the masses. The Atlantic dares to say, “Before I Die…” is merely one of the most creative community projects ever.”
The living art installation most recently colonized Tampa, Florida on August 26th, 2016. It is located along the Riverwalk in place of the failed Trump Tower Tampa. It is palpably positioned across from the University of Tampa, stationed in between the Brorein Bridge and the CapTrust Building. The ideal location sanctions a surplus of foot traffic. In fact, Tampa Bay resident’s adorned the wall entirely on unveiling day, permitting minimal space for a late comer, like myself. I confidently speak on behalf of wall-goers near and far when I say one cannot deny the magnitude of the hands-on mural. It was gratifying to witness cyclists, joggers and power-walkers stop in their tracks to either admire or partake in the project.
The “Before I Die…” wall is a dynamic, effervescent living testament, ever-changing with every person that leaves their mark, just like life itself. Candy Chang is more than an artist. Candy Chang is an activist.
