#ProjectLookUp

Miles Sanguinetti/VANGUARD STAFF

LOOK UP and see the beauty of everyday life with Andrew Grossman’s Project Lookup.

Our generation has become dependent on the Internet: our schooling, social lives and daily activities all quietly revolve around Facebooking, texting, Tumblring and tweeting whether we’re conscious of it or not.

Fortunately, enterprising students like Andrew Grossman are working hard to make sure we don’t lose sight of the beauty and inspiration discovered through simply looking up.

Project Lookup is the brainchild of Grossman, a sophomore business marketing major at PSU. It is a collaborative work of art, delivered to the public through a variety of social networks.

“I love the idea of volunteering my services for social change, so I developed a plan for Project Lookup,” Grossman said. “The project is designed to give people places to share their perspectives of beauty by acknowledging them and inspiring other people.”

“The more you see, the more you’re encouraged to look around for them yourself.”

The project utilizes multiple networks to create one artistic community. Anyone with a Twitter, Facebook or Instagram account is welcome to contribute to the growing collection of unique and thought-provoking images; users simply post an arresting, artistic photo to their own Instagram or Twitter account with the hashtag #ProjectLookUp, or post their photos directly to the Project Lookup Facebook wall.

“It should be something that’s so beautiful people just get it,” Grossman said. “Imagine pulling up Facebook and checking the Instagram album, reviewing everyone’s idea of what beauty is. It’s really enjoyable.”

Hearing the words “business” and “marketing” in conjunction might bore some people cross-eyed—they are words that students may associate with spreadsheets, pie charts and other stale statistics. But with his focus on connecting individuals through social media, Grossman has adopted a business marketing strategy for the 21st century.

“Project Lookup combines [my business marketing] experience with my personal celebration of the beauty in perspective,” Grossman said.

Every forward-thinking business knows it’s vital to innovate in order to stay up to date with the trends of their clients. In this day and age, establishing some form of social media presence is crucial in the success of a business.

“I work with marketing, communications and social media just about every day,” Grossman said. “I’m always thinking of new ways to utilize these networks to appeal to an audience.”

As students, we spend a good portion of our waking hours with our eyes glued to various screens, so it’s important that we incorporate some real brain food into the mix. The gap between entertainment and useful information continues to grow; it has become our personal responsibility to seek out worthwhile content.

“There’s an issue: People are so close to technology, they’re starting to lose sight of all the beautiful things to see and experience around them,” Grossman said. “If people are going to be on their phones and computers all the time, it makes the most sense to get the Project Lookup message right in front of them there.”

Project Lookup is an effort to connect people through a deep appreciation of what nature and the living world has to offer us. If we’re committed to being wrapped up in our technological devices, we should also make an effort to involve ourselves with positive online activities.

Though it’s been just over six months since Project Lookup launched, it already boasts a very robust following. Between its local and international contributors, there is never a dull moment on any of Project Lookup’s networks. Choosing to contribute is incredibly easy; by offering a single moment from your own life you instantly gain the opportunity to stimulate the lives of others.

“I see all these creative, unique and inspiring photos from all over the world—my aspiration for the project is to see that continue,” Grossman said. “I want to see it get the visibility it deserves—for people to get this great social community, bringing them closer to each other.

“Even when I’m unable to get out into nature, I can escape to this amazing photo stream for a few minutes and feel totally rewarded,” Grossman said. “A Project Lookup moment, by definition, is just breathtaking.”

To view the emerging beauty or become a part of Project Lookup, visit Facebook.com/ProjectLookUp, Twitter.com/ProjectLookUp or search Instagram: #ProjectLookUp.