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# Small Hand Installations
Mary Whalley Uses Tiny Gifts to Spread Love on the Streets

By Romina S. Cortellucci | Published 2012-09-01 | Art & Design
Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mary-whalley
References: [junk-culture](http://www.junk-culture.com/2012/08/mary-whalley-ornamental-thoughtfulness.html) & [littlehands-wgtn.tumblr](http://littlehands-wgtn.tumblr.com/)

New Zealand-based artist Mary Whalley is bringing little bits of happiness throughout the capital city Wellington. The [small public arts projects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paul-anthony-smith) entitled ‘Ornamental Thoughtfulness’ places little [bronze hands](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virginia-sin) in [little walkways and shortcuts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/first-kiss-at-last-light) that people would see as they walk their path to work or school.

As Whalley explains on her Tumblr, these hands are “anonymous tokens of generosity or thoughtfulness. [Her] intention is that others will use the little hands too, for leaving small items.” Within each of the hands Whalley has placed her sweet offerings that range from feathers to flowers to chalk.

Mary Whalley is providing adorable gifts that are the perfect way to brighten someone’s day. The project is presently going on and will continue in the next upcoming weeks with all the little treasures documented on Whalley’s Tumblr.

## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter)

- Score: 6.0/10
- Popularity: 91% | Activity: 82% | Freshness: 8%
- Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women
- Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X
- Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia

## Categories

[Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Graffiti](https://www.trendhunter.com/graffiti)

## Key Themes

### Why This Trend Is Growing

- **Microart Installations:** Creating small public art projects that allows people to interact with art in new ways.
- **Random Acts of Kindness:** Encouraging people to brighten someone's day with random acts of kindness using small tokens.
- **Guerrilla Art:** Challenging the status quo of traditional art installations by creating unexpected projects in public spaces.

### Industries Being Reshaped

- **Art:** Exploring non-traditional options for public art installations and finding creative ways to engage with the community.
- **Marketing:** Using small, unexpected gifts as part of a guerrilla marketing campaign to surprise and delight potential customers.
- **Hospitality:** Incorporating small gestures like welcome gifts or local trinkets in hotel guest rooms to provide a unique, personal experience.

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