“Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.”
This beautiful line is the start of the poem Desiderata by Max Ehrmann. Largely unknown in the time of its original composition, it has since spread to become one of the most influential meditations on life. What started as a simple transcription of the poem for lettering practice slowly evolved into a fine street art project. I broke up the text into small fragments, wrote them in my own script with an elbow pen nib, and made small ornate frames for each piece.
This work is installed on the streets of Berlin. In complete, the poem can be quite overwhelming, but when split into pieces, each fragment becomes a precious reminder of life. Presenting Desiderata in this context invites viewers on the street to press pause on their busy lives, read something thoughtful, and enjoy.