I am _________

I am _______ is an interactive photography installation that combined 2 artists' talents for collecting visual and written stories with the participation of a public audience to create a portrait of a community.
In the monthsleading up to, as well as during the 2008 Art City festival in Austin, Texas artists captured Polaroid portraits of festival goers. Participants were invited to react to the prompt “I am ______.” and create a statement that described themselves. The participants where photographed with their written statement and the collection of individual portraits where combined to create a large scaled installation that represented the community.The protraits of over 2400 participants where displayed inside a 8x8x8 foot cube in a pixel-like arrangement. As the collection and installation progressed the surface of the cube filled and the work transformed into a story about the community and the individuals that create it.

I am ______ was created by artists Cybil Guess and Jackie Young and commissioned by Art Alliance Austin.