The GEM Movement

Original works of art, hidden in public places around the world — free for whoever finds them.

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The GEM Movement started with a loss. After five of Andres's most beloved pieces were stolen, he answered by doing the opposite of holding on — he began giving art away. Records and found materials, painted by hand, hidden in parks, on street corners, and in plain sight, with clues posted for anyone who wanted to hunt.

Nearly 500 GEMs were given away in the first year alone. Today, more than a thousand works have been left in public around the world — each one free to whoever finds it first.

The idea behind the acronym is simple: no matter what someone is going through, there's a moment of excitement and appreciation when they find a piece. It's community building through art — a different way of experiencing art appreciation, out in the open, for everyone. The supporters who go on the hunts have a name too: the GEM Hunters.

The first GEM: a small canvas of planets with the words You have galaxies hiding behind your eyelids, left against a brick wall — The first GEM

Four photos of the first people to find a GEM, each holding up a painting — The first four finders, 2013

Records. Found materials. Forgotten things.
Trash into treasure.

A boy in Harlem holding a hand-painted record he has just found, photo by @kingtexas

Andres Gallardo handing painted records to a group of kids in Harlem, photo by @kingtexas

A GEM Movement record piece hidden among flowers, waiting to be found

GEM Movement record piece by Andres Gallardo

GEM Movement Knicks record piece by Andres Gallardo

Dog portrait painted on a vinyl record by Andres Gallardo

Stencil of a man in a pink shirt on a vinyl record by Andres Gallardo

Batman stenciled on a vinyl record in red and black by Andres Gallardo

Six stencil portraits of Tupac sprayed on a rusted door by Andres Gallardo

Andres Gallardo lying among dozens of his painted records and album covers

Stencil portrait on a vinyl record by Andres Gallardo

Stencil portrait of a woman in glasses on a vinyl record by Andres Gallardo

Nina Simone and Nat King Cole hand-painted with gold lettering on a round table top by Andres Gallardo

The Strokes lettering and a rider on horseback stenciled on a vinyl record by Andres Gallardo

Dozens of painted records laid out on a wooden deck before a drop

Stencil of a man in front of a red, white and blue flag on a vinyl record by Andres Gallardo

Stencil portrait of a woman on a vinyl record, held up by Andres Gallardo

A stencil-painted skateboard leaning against a tree, by Andres Gallardo

GEMs in the wild — drag or swipe to browse. Harlem drop photos by @kingtexas.

Where the GEMs Have Reached

A few of the places a GEM has been left for someone to find.

A GEM Movement record piece on the base of a lamppost across from the Arc de Triomphe at night, Paris — Paris, France

A GEM Movement record piece at the foot of a barrier in front of the Colosseum, Rome — Rome, Italy

A GEM Movement record piece resting on the mosaic wall of Park Güell, Barcelona — Barcelona, Spain

A GEM Movement record piece beneath a bicycle on a canal bridge, Amsterdam — Amsterdam, Netherlands

A GEM Movement record piece at the feet of a stone sculpture in Vigeland Park, Oslo — Oslo, Norway

A GEM Movement record piece among yellow flowers in a park in Sweden — Sweden

A GEM Movement record piece of a young Cristiano Ronaldo in a red doorframe across from a CR7 mural in Funchal, Portugal — Funchal, Portugal

A GEM Movement record piece hung on a railing across the water from the Sydney Opera House — Sydney, Australia

A GEM Movement record piece set on a brick temple wall under a blue sky, Bali — Bali, Indonesia

A GEM Movement record piece at the foot of a pole under an Annex sign, Toronto — Toronto, Canada

A GEM Movement record piece tucked into a flowering hedge below a hotel in Mexico — Mexico

A GEM Movement record piece on a driftwood sculpture under palm trees, Dominican Republic — Dominican Republic

A GEM Movement record piece and a printed shirt on a wall outside an arena, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico

A GEM Movement record piece in the dune grass beside the hand sculpture at Punta del Este, Uruguay — Punta del Este, Uruguay

A GEM Movement record piece of Kendrick Lamar at the base of a stone pedestal beside a palm tree on the waterfront, Piriápolis, Uruguay — Piriápolis, Uruguay

A GEM Movement record piece on a stone ledge above the terraces of Machu Picchu, Peru — Machu Picchu, Peru

From the GEM Hunters

So I found piece #16 of Andres Gallardo's Art Scavenger hunt. I've been chasing these paintings for days ... Especially Freda ... But the competition is tough. I had to roll out of bed, slip my chancletas on and run out the house. I rushed to CI to what I felt was a central point and waited for the location hint to be posted. To my disbelief another car showed up to the same spot. Lucky for me, they eventually gave up and left. Two seconds later I was stalking out my young artist. Andres, I wish you got to see the parade of cars that came into that lot after I got the painting. You are loved!
One of the first GEM Hunters

Found one yourself? Tell the story or tag @artofandres.

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