You know when you walk into the TOMS shoe store/ coffee shop/ local lounge spot on Abbot Kinney and it feels like your cool friend’s home? Well, for the next five days TOMS’ resident artist Tyler Ramsey will literally live in the storefront window — giving the term ‘resident’ a whole new meaning.
Tyler went into his glass box this morning at 9am and will remain on display through Monday, July 29. Billed as a “Human-Powered Product Customizer,” Ramsey is packaging his talent and charisma into a performance art piece designed to energize the community about TOMS and its global philanthropic mission to provide shoes and sight to those in need.
For the next week, you can visit the store in person or place an order online, and Ramsey will customize a pair of TOMS shoes or sunglasses for you. Call him directly at 1-855-704-3889 to keep him company or make requests and then watch him deliver on the longest Google+ Hangout ever.
Since he will only leave for bathroom breaks, many of Ramsey and TOMS’ awesome friends will be stopping by to keep him company. Check in all week to see who visits him. The week is mostly unscripted but there is a loose schedule of possibilities that includes a smoothie chef demo, a karaoke extravaganza, interactive singer/songwriter sessions and more. Given the eclectic range of talent in this community, it’s quite likely that there are going to be lots of surprises.
No artist likes to be put in a box. But if he’s going to be put in a box it’s going to be a TOMS shoe box. For the next five days Ramsey is going to be the shoe.
When asked what most inspired him about this project, he said that it fulfilled him on multiple levels. It was a way that he could continue to contribute to the world through his partnership with TOMS. Also, it was an opportunity to use his art in a way that was socially engaging and hopefully inspires others to create art. His message is this: “Do it! Dare to dream big about the ways art can exist in the world.”
Stop by anytime between 9am and 9pm Tuesday, July 23 through Monday, July 29th to be a part of the experience.