Metal

For two weeks in May artist Laurence Payot invited residents from Runcon and the Picton ward in Liverpool area to take part in an extraordinary project encouraging social interactions through small daily coincidences by carrying out simple daily tasks integrated within their normal routine.

After consulting local schools, community groups and residents an action was decided for each day. These were then sent out to all participants by text message in the morning of that day. Actions included 'lets pass on a smile and a hello maybe', 'Let’s chalk a hopscotch or other games in the streets for people to hop on as they walk past' and 'Let's drop flower seeds in places that need it'. We planted some sunflower seeds in the Metal Liverpool office...

Coincidence happened in Runcorn for a week from Monday 28 March to Sunday 3 April 2010, and in Picton (Wavetree) from Monday 23 May. 
www.coincidenceproject.co.uk

Following the project, Metal Liverpool hosted an exhibition by Laurence Payot which brought together some of the process and materials collected during the 'Coincidence' in Picton.

The film, made by Sam Meech, followed two of the participants each day as they performed their daily action. One of our favourites was 'Let's chalk a Hopscotch in the street for people to hop on as they walk past'!

There was also a free newspaper given away that gathered together people's thoughts, comments and images from the blog that was active throughout the fourteen day performance. Read more here www.coincidenceproject.co.uk.

Images below by Ian Poulson.