You Are Beautiful

We live in a world that bombards us with fear-inducing marketing aiming to convince us that we're too ugly, too fat, or too old so that we'll go out and buy stuff to fix it. How often, if ever, do we get sweetly and succinctly told that there's nothing wrong with us? It's the simplicity behind You Are Beautiful that makes its message so immediate and powerful.

The creators of the site and all it's members are anonymous, choosing to let their message speak for itself. Collaborators design different versions of the three words "you are beautiful" and then hi-jack public areas that would normally contain advertising. From more traditional graffiti spaces to usurping billboards and lining the insides of advertising-riddled subway cars, the idea is to replace the ubiquitous consumer-driven messaging we normally see with a compliment. A little burst of positivity, unexpected in the midst of buy-buy-buy messaging, that asks us to do absolutely nothing but feel good about ourselves.

The collected images of how the message has manifested itself created an exhibition that's appeared in galleries around the world. Living up to the true nature of its movement, You Are Beautiful seeks out individuals to contribute as well. People can let out their inner artist with their very own version of the message, be it public or private, and send pics to the site for posting. The only thing they ask is that the message not be commodified or sold in any way – to just always be free and always be true to itself.

Plus, for just the price of postage, Are You Beautiful will mail you a free package of stickers. Spread the message, take pics of where you put your stickers, and send them to the site to be added to the collection.