sipNread (2015) is a participatory and collaborative magazine project I started that uses coffee cup sleeves as a medium. Coffee cups are an important part of the coffee experience. In today’s largely mobile lifestyle, people carry them almost everywhere they go. Most coffee cups come with a sleeve. People touch them and carry them to protect their hands from the hot beverage. Sleeves are either empty spaces or are spaces for brand logos. However, I see a good potential in them to provide people with information – that is provided by lay people rather than just one information source – by grabbing their attention in a unique way, and break through the clutter of information overload.

Overall, the idea behind sipNread is to create a unique medium that allows for conscious contribution and participation by anyone. sipNread invites traditionally passive consumers to occupy a space that is either ignored completely, or contains advertising. This project has the potential to provide opportunities for active engagement to people that are considered as passive masses when they receive information.

The first issue of sipNread was distributed at local coffeeshops both in Bangor and Orono. I also published a special sipNread issue in Turkish that was developed with the contributions of Turkish-speaking collaborators. I contacted people from Turkey and asked for their contribution. My idea was to observe the reactions of people from two different cultures to the same artwork concept. Similar distribution method and venues were used for the Turkish version.