James Downey (Internet performance artist)

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James Downey is a US author, book restorer and Internet performance artist, who has organized two relatively high-profile stunts.

1 Lasers at the moon
2 Harry Potter Nobel Prize letter writing campaign
- 2.1 Technicalities
3 Websites Downey has created
4 References

[edit] Lasers at the moon

In 2001, Downey theorised that, as laser pens are so popular in western culture, that there may be enough to change the colour of the moon with. He encouraged anyone in possession of a laser pen to point it at the moon, in order to create a dot on the moon's surface. Though many responded back with e-mails notifing Downey of their participation, the project was a failure. Eric Van Stryland, director of Center for Research in Electro-Optics and Lasers at the University of Central Florida noted to USA Today that although it's "still a fun idea", such a project would need "at least a few million billion red laser pointers to see a big red spot on the moon."

[edit] Harry Potter Nobel Prize letter writing campaign

In 2003, Downey attempted to win Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling a 2004 Nobel Prize for Literature, by organising a letter writing campaign via e-mail. Attempting to get author J. K. Rowling considered for the prestigious award, he created a website launched in July 2003 called the "Nobel Prize For Jo", urging the global community to participate. On his web page, he was quoted as saying that "I bet if we sent them a few hundred thousand letters, they'd pay attention." Hailed by the BBC as an "Internet crusade", it failed to get any letters sent in.

One hundred people are reported to have e-mailed to the address provided, Downey said on the main page of the site truthfully admits "E-mails probably wouldn't hurt, but letters will make the real difference."

"Uniting millions of people around the globe to attempt this ostensibly impossible task is a new kind of performance art," Downey wrote on his site.

[edit] Technicalities

Even if the campaign had been a success, it would have been against Nobel's official rules. Fans are not allowed to submit letters of nomination to the society, only literary professors, members of literature academies, and past winners of the prize may submit suggestions.