One dirty sock turned into an art installation that perfectly encapsulates 2020

Port Townsend, Washington - A mother's creative attempt to get her daughter to clean up after herself quickly escalated into the perfect art installation for 2020.

Xep Campbell initially just wanted to guilt her daughter into cleaning up.
Xep Campbell initially just wanted to guilt her daughter into cleaning up.  © Facebook/Bildmontage/Xep Campbell

Facebook user Xep Campbell finally had enough of the dirty laundry her 10-year-old Kestrel leaves around the house. One filthy sock left of the bathroom floor sent her over the edge, and she decided she wasn't going to pick it up herself.

As a "sociological experiment," Xep thought she would start a game of chicken and see how long it would take for her daughter to get the hint. A week later, the sock hadn't moved from it spot.

That's when Xep got creative: she printed a sarcastic label with the inscription "The Forgotten Sock, Nov 26, 2020" and stuck it on the wall, above the sock, giving the impression of an art installation.

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This finally caught Kestrel's attention, but not necessarily in the way her mother had intended.

If you think that's the end of it, you're wrong.

The game soon escalated into an amazing exercise in creativity.
The game soon escalated into an amazing exercise in creativity.  © Facebook/Bildmontage/Xep Campbell

Instead of finally tossing the sock in the laundry basket, Kestrel had other plans. Two can play at that game!

The girl immediately took up the challenge and made a small pedestal to better showcase the "art work." And that was only the beginning of an epic escalation.

Xep shared the results of the back-and-forth on Facebook. The photos show how the installation grew to include an ever-increasing crowd of toy animals admiring the project; a miniature monolith; a nativity scene to add a little holiday flavor; and finally a tiny drawing of a vase with flowers in it – presumably for those who prefer more traditional art.

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The post hit the viral jackpot on Facebook, where it was shared over 139,000 times and appreciated by thousands of users.

The growing art installation

Amazed by the tremendous response to her post, Xep added a small update: "My daughter and I have a wonderful, communicative relationship. We are very silly together and understand the importance of being ridiculous and absurd."

However, she did not reveal whether the art installation is still in place – or whether that sock got a much needed wash.

Cover photo: Facebook/Bildmontage/Xep Campbell

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