THE BASICS
WHAT IS SPEKTACLE?
I’m John Noi. I make portraits on dance floors. Most stay on Instagram for my 19K followers. But some escape. They get lost in cities, and when you find them, they’re yours. Free. They’re worth more than you’d think, but more importantly, they’re alive – they respond when found.
What do you mean portraits ‘escape’?
I can’t always control them. Some slip away while I’m working. Others leave when I travel. They end up on walls, in doorways, against buildings. Once lost, I can’t get them back. But you can find them.
How often do portraits get lost?
Weekly in London, sometimes more when I travel. They choose their timing. Often when I’m distracted or away.
FINDING PORTRAITS
How do I find a lost portrait?
Follow @spektacle on Instagram. When a portrait escapes, I document clues after each release. I’ll give hints like what3words locations or general areas. First to physically find it and prove it keeps it.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I FIND ONE?
It’s yours. Free. No charge. Take a photo or video where you found it, DM @spektacle with proof. I’ll reveal its value to create FOMO for those who didn’t search.
How do I CLAIM A portrait?
Simple: Find it physically, photograph or video it in place, then DM proof to @spektacle on Instagram to claim. Everything happens publicly on Instagram. First verified finder owns it forever.
What if someone else finds it first?
More portraits escape regularly. Your portrait is coming. The one meant for you will wait.
Can I share locations with others?
After you’ve found and claimed it, yes. Never during active searching. Let others have their own discovery experience.
LIVING PORTRAITS
WHAT MAKES THEM “LIVING”?
Content evolves over time. They respond to touch through interactive points. Updates happen when needed, not on schedule. Your portrait lives as long as I do. I can’t reveal everything – discovery is part of the experience.
HOW DO THEY RESPOND?
Each portrait has one or more interactive points. Different touches reveal different responses. The discovery is part of the experience.
Why are they worth so much?
Each one is unique, created early in the morning on dance floors where people lose themselves. They contain technology that makes them responsive. They’re not just prints. They’re living artworks that respond when found, and update over time. The value reflects their rarity, the technology inside them, and growing demand.
HOW OFTEN DO THEY UPDATE?
When they need to. Sometimes weekly, sometimes monthly, sometimes when it matters. No fixed schedule. Portraits live on their own time.
Are these the same as your Instagram portraits?
No. Instagram gets my daily work – immediate, digital, yours instantly. Living portraits are different – they escape, they’re physical, they’re interactive, they must be found. I maintain both practices.
LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY
I don’t live in London.
Portraits sometimes escape to other cities when I travel. Rome and Transylvania have already had escapes. Follow @spektacle anyway – your city might be next. Cities earn portraits by proving they have seekers.
How are locations chosen?
I don’t choose. The portraits do. They escape to places that call to them – corners with character, walls with history, spaces that feel right. I just document where they went.
THE EXPERIENCE
WHY DO IT THIS WAY?
Because art became too easy. Everything comes to our phones. Nobody moves anymore. When you search for something, when you find it, the experience transforms both you and the portrait. That transformation is the real artwork.
MOST PEOPLE WON’T DO IT THIS WAY
Exactly. That’s fine. The 19K who follow me on Instagram get beautiful portraits daily on their screens. But for the few who want more, who miss real discovery, the lost portraits are waiting.
Is this legal?
Yes. The portraits are placed responsibly.
What if no one finds them?
Some portraits stay lost. That’s part of it. Not everything lost gets found. Sometimes that’s the story.
AFTER FINDING
What if I want to sell my found portrait later?
That’s your choice. They often increase in value in the secondary market. Early discoveries especially. I can help facilitate collector-to-collector sales. But most finders keep them forever.
Can I get my street portrait verified?
Every found portrait is documented on Instagram with public confirmation. The discovery story becomes part of its provenance. Authentication is built into the public finding process.
THE PHILOSOPHY
Why ‘lost’ instead of ‘hidden’?
Because I don’t hide them – they escape. They leave on their own timing. I document the loss, you participate in finding. It’s more honest about the lack of control.
What’s the point?
To make art matter again. To create real experiences. To reward movement over scrolling. To build stories worth telling. To transform both art and audience.
Are you trying to exclude people?
No. Everyone can follow my daily portraits on Instagram – 19K do. The lost portraits are for those who want something more. Different people participate differently. All ways are valid.
CONTACT & MORE
I found one but Instagram is down.
Email proof to studio@spektacle.com with photo, location, and time found. But Instagram is the primary channel for transparency.
Can I commission a portrait?
Yes. Contact studio@spektacle.com.
I want SPEKTACLE in my city.
Prove your city has seekers. Document demand. Find portraits when visiting London. Build community of potential searchers. Cities aren’t chosen – they emerge through action.
Something’s wrong with my portrait.
DM @spektacle with details. The portraits can be temperamental and may not want to reveal all their secrets at first. Happy to help troubleshoot.
MY PHONE DOESN’T RESPOND TO THE PORTRAIT
First try holding your phone over the area for 4-5 seconds. If you have have an Android phone, follow these instructions:
- Open your phone’s Settings app.
- Tap on Connections or Network & internet.
- Find and tap on NFC and contactless payments (the exact wording may vary).
- Tap the toggle switch next to NFC to turn it on.
- You should see an NFC icon appear in your status bar at the top of the screen to confirm it’s active.
If you still have no response message @spektacle.