THE IDEA
A talented, creative writer invents a story about an object. Invested with new significance by this fiction, the object should — according to our hypothesis — acquire not merely subjective but objective value. How to test our theory? Via eBay!
FIRST PHASE: THE EXPERIMENT
Significant Object’s first “volume” of stories — by Sheila Heti, Nicholson Baker, Lydia Millet, Colson Whitehead, Jonathan Lethem, and 95 others — ran from July to November 2009. SO v1, as we’ve nicknamed that first volume, was a quasi-anthropological experiment whose hypothesis was: “Narrative transforms insignificant objects into significant ones.” The experiment’s parameters were as follows:
- The experiment’s curators purchase objects — for no more than a few dollars — from thrift stores and garage sales.
- A participating writer is paired with an object. He or she then writes a fictional story, in any style or voice, about the object. Voila! An unremarkable, castoff thingamajig has suddenly become a “significant” object!
- Each significant object is listed for sale on eBay. The s.o. is pictured, but instead of a factual description the s.o.’s newly written fictional story is used. However, care is taken to avoid the impression that the story is a true one; the intent of the project is not to hoax eBay customers. (Doing so would void our test.) The author’s byline will appear with his or her story.
- The winning bidder is mailed the significant object, along with a printout of the object’s fictional story. Net proceeds from the sale are given to the respective author. Authors retain all rights to their stories.
- The experiment’s results — photos, original prices and final sale prices, stories — are cataloged on this website. The project’s curators retain the right to use these materials in other venues and media. For example: Maybe we’ll publish a book.
The results of our experiment? If an increase in the thrift-store objects’ “value in trade” can be accepted as objective evidence of an increase in the objects’ significance, then our hypothesis was 100% correct. We sold $128.74 worth of thrift-store junk for $3,612.51, all of which went to SO v1’s contributing writers.
CURRENT PHASE: CHARITABLE FUNDRAISING & DATA-CRUNCHING
We’d answered the question of whether stories can add measurable value to near-worthless tchotchkes with an emphatic YES. But what to do with that answer?
Significant Object’s second volume of stories — contributed by Kathryn Davis, Tom McCarthy, Amy Fusselman, Neil LaBute, Gary Panter, and 45 others — started in December 2009 and wraps up this month. SO v2 is on track to raise nearly $2000 for 826 National, a creative-writing tutoring program for teenagers in seven cities. Check the sidebar for a running total of how much we’ve raised so far.
We’re getting ready to launch SO v3, which will raise money for another good cause.
While continuing to run Significant Objects, which can be thought of as an experimental, thematic literary journal using eBay as one of its publishing platforms, we’re crunching the data from our first, experimental phase.
KEEP TABS ON THE PROJECT
Click here to subscribe to email updates about the Significant Objects project. Click here to follow our Twitter feed. To check out our press clippings, click here. Check out this Flickr group by and for winning eBay bidders on the project’s objects.
If you dig our mug-shaped Significant Objects logo, then you’ll want to check out the Significant Objects Mug Mug, for sale now from Zazzle.
Tell a friend about Significant Objects!
THE CURATORS
Significant Objects is the brainchild of journalist Rob Walker, whose Consumed column appears in the New York Times Magazine, and Josh Glenn, whose book Taking Things Seriously looks at how we invest ordinary objects with extraordinary significance. Take a look at this website’s sidebar for more info on our books.
Many thanks to Rob Tourtelot for designing our website, and to Joe Alterio for the mug logo. SO v2 would not be possible without the efforts of Emma Westling.
