Thoughts on Sheryl Oring's "I Wish to Say"

Sheryl Oring's performance art entitled "I Wish to Say" gives people who would not usually speak up a voice that will be heard. Oring sets up a table with a typewriter, sits down, and waits for people to come to her. In this performance she types letters verbatim for the people who participate and sends them to the President. In this way she gets to learn a little bit about each individual who sits down across from her. She also gets to help them in a way, although minute, that leaves a huge impression on the participant. They get to see that there are good people in the world; people that really do care. Sometimes it means everything just to know that a complete stranger wants to help you. Oring may have just come up with the idea as an unusual situation for an art piece, but she really is changing the perceptions of those she helps along with how they feel. She is making a huge statement by creating a collective voice of the people, similar to that of the Presidency. (or at least how it should work) Oring as one person gathers the thoughts of a community and presents them by sending them to the White House in order to make a larger impact. One voice may be strong but more than one collectively working together is stronger.