Today, I’d like to write about a wonderful art project: the “Before I Die” wall. You may have seen it around in your community. The walls invite passers-by to leave their mark by answering a seemingly simple question: “Before I die, I want to __________________”.
Carpe Diem
Death is scary. The idea of suddenly dying before getting the chance to fulfill our dreams or life ambitions can seem even scarier than death itself.
However, thinking about death before we die can be very empowering. It can help us gain clarity in our life. Steve Jobs famously said:
“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Death is very likely the single best invention of life. It’s life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.”
Bucket Lists
Everyone has a bucket list. Bucket list wishes come in all shapes and sizes. Some are more extreme, such as cage-diving with sharks in South Africa or climbing the Kilimanjaro. Some are more easy-going, such as a going on a holiday in Tuscany or taking a painting class. Some are longer term and can take a lifetime to achieve, such as raising a happy family or becoming a world-class cellist. Some are short term and can be achieved in a few days or hours, such as swing dancing in a NYC club or seeing the Northern Lights.
While most people keep their bucket list tucked away in a drawer in the back of their mind, new services enable us to create and maintain “virtual” bucket lists of life wishes to share with others. Notable apps include 43 Things and Bucketlistly.
Additionally, new services allow us to get closer to realizing some of those wishes and ambitions. Montreal-based E-180 allows users to connect with other people in their community on a 1:1 basis to learn new life skills. The site asks its members to post “offers” and “demands” and matches them together. Always wanted to learn to do yoga? Been curious about what’s its like to be a photojournalist? Need help preparing that life-changing trip to Thailand? You’re likely to find someone in your community who can help on E-180.
The Wall
Enter the Before I Die project, who has literally brought the bucket list to the streets.
The project was initiated by Candy Chang, a multi-disciplinary artist based in X. After the sudden loss of a dear friend and mother figure, Candy had the inspired idea to post a large wall on an abandoned house in her New Orleans neighbourhood. The reaction was immediate. Hundreds of people put chalk to wall and wrote down their deepest wishes.
The wall is one of many of Chang’s projects. Her leitmotiv is to transform neglected spaces into constructive places that bring the local community together. It seems the Before I Die walls have struck a chord. Keeping our deepest bucket list wishes to ourselves can be quite lonely. Chang believes that sharing our wishes with other around us can create stronger bonds and relationships between people and help to improve our lives.
Hear more about Chang’s art in her excellent TED talk:
Since then, the movement has gone global. More than 250 walls have been installed in 40 countries, from USA to Argentina to the South Africa.
Here are a few awesome photos of Before I Die walls erected around the world:
5 Questions With Elise Rousseau
The uber-creative and very inspired/inspiring co-founder of Les Inspirés, Elise is an ex-PR/communications specialist and self-described “fire starter of the soul”. She sees Les Inspirés as “torch bearer for a new generation of passionate and visionary individuals looking to share their perspective on the world to creative endeavors”.
1. How did you first get interested in the “Avant de Mourir” project?
We are always looking for meaningful projects to reunite the members of our community around, Les inspirés. We also love urban art because it is a great way to communicate our messages. When we watched Chandy Chang’s Ted talk about Before I Die project, we thought immediately that it must be our next project.
2. Why do you think the project has resonated so much with people around the world?
Today’s life is a little bit crazy. Everything goes so fast because of technology. It’s easy to get lost in a routine or focus only on our career, because it is valorised by society. More than ever, people need to take the time to think about what really matters to them. They also need to connect with each other with authentic initiatives.
3. How can sharing life goals and aspirations with others help us achieve them?
Having ideas is a thing, but talking about them make us more conscious about the opportunity we have to realise them. Generally, when we are passionate, people want to help us to achieve our goals. Talking about our passions is the greatest way to find new collaborators or having tips.
4. Can you tell us a bit more about your group Les Inspirés that instigated this project?
Les Inspirés (no English name just yet) is a community made of a new generation of inspired and passionate minds. Our goal is to maintain them in a mindset of desire and willingness to do something creative and authentic with their ideas, in order to feel excited about their life. We offer them ways to connect, online and through new kind of events, like our recent Summer Lab.
5. What are you working on now? What’s next?
We have just launched our consulting branch who helps CEOs and HR people transform their organization into authentic communities. We principally work on their organizational culture and employer brand. We will continue to develop our community as well with original events and inspiring content. It will not be a surprise for you if I say that we have tons of ideas!
What They Wrote
Rousseau mentions that the wall has been a wonderful meeting spot where it’s been possible to strike up inspiring conversations with perfect strangers strolling by. The effect, she says, has been “magical”.
While going to clean the wall, she met a tourist waiting to return to the airport. The man helped her clean the very tall wall. Before leaving, the man wrote: “Before I die, I want to pass Cap Horn”. “I’m sure he’ll one day do it”, confides Rousseau. She even brought her father to write on the wall for his birthday yesterday.
In Quebec City, like elsewhere, the answers have been very diverse. Before I Die wishes have ranged from the more existential, such as “truly live” or “explore this world”, to more attainable, like “feed an elephant” or “go to the world series”, to the humorous ones, like “do a cartwheel” or “dance fast”.
My Wish
Finally, I don’t think this post would be complete without contributing a bit to the movement myself, albeit virtually. After a bit of reflexion…
Before I die, I want to: ______create and inspire others to create______.
A friend told me today that there is currently a similar wall in Montreal’s Mile-End near the library. A similar wall was also erected in Montreal on the Plateau Mont-Royal in April 2013.
I might even go write my wish directly on the wall if I happen to stroll by. Who knows what type of conversation I might strike up with other passers-by!
The “Avant de Mourir” Project
Here are few more photos of the inspiring Quebec City wall from their Tumblr blog, including directly below a picture of Elise with Les Inspirés co-founders Myriam Greer and Julie Tremblay-Potvin.
