Graphology Institute

While in residence at Elsewhere Collaborative in 2012, artists Erin Johnson and Kari Marboe found a letter to Sylvia Gray, the owner of the building before it was turned into an arts space. The text revealed that Gray had her handwriting analyzed by a graphologist, someone who studies handwriting and determines personality characteristics from it. In response, they created an installation, designed participatory events, and organized a conference about handwritten documents as sources of research projects. Using graphological analysis as an engagement tool, they studied people’s handwriting on the streets of Greensboro, striking conversations about the value of handwriting, handiwork as a site of power, and how handwriting can serve as a form of portraiture.