Beam of light in a corporate world

Easily the best thing about my office building is the vertical scrolling LED sign above the front door.



It doesn’t have company announcements or stock quotes or anything—it’s a piece of art. Someone told me it’s by the famous artist Sophie Calle, and I hope so because I love her (if only because a fictionalized version of her appeared in one of my favorite books, Paul Auster’s Leviathan). While I’ve waiting for the elevator or for a coworker, I always read it, and then often forget what it said only moments later. Only once have I seen it say the same thing twice, and every now and then I’ll catch a glimpse of a “nipple” or “penis”—so very uncorporate. Anyway, I’ve been writing down some of the scrolling messages and here they are:


fathers often use too much force

absolutes are quicksilver results are spectacular

It’s hard to know if you’re crazy if you feel like you’re in danger all the time now

If you’re worried about an attack you should stay awake or sleep lightly with your limbs unfurled ready for action

MAKE AMENDS

going with the flow is soothing but risky

I often awake with tears running down my cheeks

Bodies lie in the grass some have been murdered and some are picnicking

death came and he looked like a rat with claws