Writing On the Wall — Jessie Zhai

WRITING ON THE WALL

We asked 120 strangers “What is one piece of advice that changed your life?”

THE DUMBO PROJECTION PROJECT

Writing On The Wall was a video installation as a part of the Dumbo Projection Project -- Volume 6: Unexpected Delight exhibit. It was projected on three walls in the Dumbo district in New York City from May 1 - May 25 in 2025. The projection shows 120 participants from around the world collectively answer a single question: “What’s one piece of advice that changed your life?” Their words emerge as fleeting graffiti on the walls, which becomes brief moments of shared wisdom, left behind for anyone passing by.

All aspects of the project were completed by Jessie Zhai, DJ Kim, Yilin Ye, and Timothy Wong under the guidance of Gabriel Barcia-Colombo. The public exhibit was presented by Team Dumbo, with support from the New York City Department of Transportation and NYC DOT ART, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and Leo Kuelbs Collection.

See Writing on the Wall project website