How to use digital technology to make artwork in the urban space context is always a question that keeps us thinking. We think that a good digital public art should be able to not only serve as the medium of social interaction but make the space, where it is, accessible to everybody as well.

Abstract:
Make a wish by a cellphone and spread good karma to your beloved ones. Tree is a symbol of eternity and long life in Asian culture. Therefore, people in Asian countries worship trees just as they worship other gods. Besides going to a temple, people also write notes and knot them on the tree to wish good luck for themselves and their beloved ones. Taking advantage of SMS, Cellwish provides people a different user experience to make a wish. Users textmessage their wishes and the computer will visualize messages as 3D objects and shown on the "tree".

User Research:
Location: The corner between Waverly PL and Broadway.

Photographied from Broadway	Photographied from Waverly PL

This place is technically part of NYU campus although NYU doesn't really have a campus.Usually, people who walk pass that corner are NYU students, professionals
who are working near that area and residents who live around Washington Square Park area. We interviewd 8 subjects who walked pass there and find some common things among them:
- All the subjects use cell phone and most(7/8) use SMS daily.
- Most of the subjects(7/8) love New York since this city always has interesting stuff going on everyday.
- Most of the subjects(6/8) have close family members or friends who live far away from New York.
- 5 subjects know what public art is. 2 were not very clear until we gave an example. 1 subject is not interested in art at all.

Personas:

A. Yan Gao	B. Rob Ryan	C. Jenny
- 28 years old - Working in financial company - From China - Single - Like fancy cell phone - Most of her family is in China	- 19 years old - NYU Undergraduate Student - Single - Cincinnati, OH - Like textmessging his college buddies. - His parents live in Cincinnati.	- 35 years old - Chef of a restaurant in Mahattan - Single but live with boyfriend - New Yorker - Always use cell phone and like new things - Most family members don't live far from city
Behavioral Characteristic Yan is like one of many international people who get degree in New York and then continue to work here. Her parents are retired and live in China. She calls her parents at least once a week abd always feels sorry about being away from her parents.	Behavioral Characteristic Rob is a shy boy and currently studying in NYU as an undergraduate student. He calls his parents usually once a month. He likes blonde girls. However, for some reasons, he never manages to date with any one of them.	Behavioral Characteristic Jenny is a typical New Yorker who likes new technology and art. She goes to museums once a month and also subscribes to Wired magazine. She currently addicted to those social networks, especially Myspace and Facebook.

User Senarios:
A. Jenny is in a fundraising party for the Katrina in New Orleans. She has a very good friend Lucy in New Orleans and sufferring the Katrina. When she sees the Cellwish, she is like "Oh, that's interesting. Let me send a wish to Lucy. Hope she is doing well." At the same time, she donates 5 dollars via this system since Cellwish gets 5 dollar from her Paypal account everytime she makes a wish.

B. Yan always feels sorry about not being with her parents. Her job keeps her very busy but she always makes a call to her parents every weekend to make sure both of them are doing well. One day, Yan passes by "Cellwish" and sees one "message" on the "tree" which says "Happy birthday, daddy". "Oh my gosh, it's my father's birthday today." Then she takes out her cell phone, puts down her wish and send out through her cell phone. Soon a wish "爸爸生日快乐" shows up on the tree.