This NYC artist will help you with anything (except sex) for free

[entremet]

For the past month, Bianca Giaever, an artist and filmmaker, has been roaming New York City, wearing a firetruck red jumpsuit and an enormous sandwich board that reads "FREE HELP."

Giaever is actually offering what's advertised. If you need help, she will help you — for free.

Her business card, which she hands out freely, often to people who approach her or strike up a conversation, lists her contact information, along with examples of her services: child care, emotional support, physical labor, relationship advice, organization, cleaning.

"ANYTHING! (Except sex!)," it reads.

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Giaever considers the five-week project a piece of performance art. She is filming the proceedings and plans to turn them into a feature-length documentary.

"It's been an amazing window into a bunch of different worlds and a bunch of different people's lives in New York City, through what they need help with," she said in an interview from her home in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn. "Sometimes it's absolutely dire and sometimes it's ridiculous and absurd and frivolous."

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Pretty interesting.

This NYC artist will help you with anything (except sex) for free

Bianca Giaever means this literally.

gothamist.com

 

[Dervius]

At least it's productive performance art.

 

[Nepenthe]

This is something people should be doing just as a general principle for their communities. Good on her for stepping out there.

 

[julia crawford]

Woah this is cool. Looking forward to the doc that will come from this.

 

[entremet]

This is something people should be doing just as a general principle for their communities. Good on her for stepping out there.

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Yep. This is community essentially.

 

[amusix]

Anyone this privileged should absolutely be this helpful. good on her!

 

[Lil Bee]

Cool! Big up honestly

 

[thetrin]

This is absolutely community, and something you see organically time and time again in smaller communities. The number of ppl that my mom has as her support unit where she lives currently is enviable. A network of wonderful ppl, coworkers and otherwise, that are there to help and advise at the drop of a hat.

Whether it's getting a dishwasher fixed, or having an ear to bend, it's beautiful to see.

It's sadly lost in large cities where community is more abstracted. The only way to replicate it is to build a group of friends on your own within the. Ity, which can be hard.

 

[unknownspectator]

no disclaimers excluding hiding bodies, just saying.

But seriously, good on her.

 

[Cousin From Boston]

"I need help with childcare, security, and working a verbal response to a very mean man from Compton"
--Drake, probably