Over several months, I collected twelve pieces of furniture abandoned on New York sidewalks. Each one was repaired, reimagined, and marked by hand with a single word: FREE — inlaid or embroidered, each letter unique.
On Black Friday, I placed the pieces back on the streets for anyone to take.
While the city buzzed with sales and ads, these objects carried a different message — an invitation to pause, notice, and maybe bring something home, no strings attached.
While the city buzzed with sales and ads, these objects carried a different message — an invitation to pause, notice, and maybe bring something home, no strings attached.
I watched quietly as people interacted: a woman sat for a phone call, a child pointed out the letters to his mother, two girls took photos, an older woman folded a chair and walked away smiling.
Bright Friday is about these moments — small acts of exchange that remind us how easily objects, and people, can find new purpose when given a little care.
