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This Number Will Text You a Work of Art Based on What You Want to See

2 minute read

If you’re in a creative slump, then the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) is here to get you back in the groove. The museum recently rolled out a new feature called “Send Me” that allows anyone to text a request to see something and receive a picture of a piece of art depicting that thing in return.

“Text 572-51 with the words ‘send me’ followed by a keyword, a color, or even an emoji and you’ll receive a related artwork image and caption via text message,” reads the museum’s website. “For example ‘send me the ocean’ might get you Pirkle Jones’ Breaking Wave, Golden Gate; ‘send me something blue’ could result in Éponge (SE180) by Yves Klein; and ‘send me 💐’ might return Yasumasa Morimura’s An Inner Dialogue with Frida Kahlo (Collar of Thorns).

The new service is an attempt by the museum to make more of the 34,678 pieces of artwork in its collection accessible to the public — rather than just the 5 percent on display in the galleries at any given time.

“In a world oversaturated with information, we asked ourselves: how can we generate personal connections between a diverse cross section of people and the artworks in our collection,” wrote creative technologist Jay Mollica. “How can we provide a more comprehensive experience of our collection?”

Of course, the Internet has been loving it.

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Write to Megan McCluskey at megan.mccluskey@time.com