Interview with Found creator Davy Rothbart
Read more about Found and PostSecret here.
Where did you get the idea for Found?
When I was a kid, I would find things walking down the street or in my backyard. I was always surprised at how powerfully you could connect to someone [through these items].
What really sparked the idea was when I was living in Chicago I found this note on my windshield. A note addressed to Mario.
“Mario- I fucking hate you you said you had to work then whys your car HERE at HER place?? You’re a f–ing LIAR I hate you I f–ing hate you.
-Amber
PS Page me later.”
It was interesting to see she was so mad but so in love. I showed it to my friends and I was amazed at how many people collect stuff. I’d go over to my friend’s house and they’d have kid’s drawings on their fridge they had found. It was a shame only we get to see it.
Found seemed a natural way to share.
I spent three nights putting together the first issue. I took it to Kinko’s at 3:00 a.m. and the guy working there said, ‘This is awesome; let’s make it 800.’ That seemed like a lot. But he said he’d help me sell it, throw a party. We sold for it five bucks to 100 people.
My roommates were pissed that there were boxes everywhere and I was leaving on a trip, but when I came back they were gone. I thought they were in the basement or they had thrown them away. They said people were coming to buy 1 or 2 for themselves or for friends. So many people came the neighbors thought we were selling drugs out of the place and called the cops.
It’s been exciting. We get 10-20 things a day in the mail. To look through it all is awesome, it’s been fun, a gigantic art project.
Do you feel that there is a difference between PostSecret and Found in that it lets you into a different side of a person?
Both give you a glimpses of someone else life. In PostSecret, there is intention; they know it can be shared in a public way, whereas Found is more private.
When you’re struggling it’s easy to feel isolated. When you read a secret or you read a note that’s been found, you see so many people across the country. You feel less alone, you feel more connected because it could be anyone and it makes you feel more connected to everyone.
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