Have you found any unicorns? When I spotted my first last February, I’ll admit, I didn’t think much of it — I collect treasures and trash alike while out and about in Providence. There it lay beneath a tree on the Washington Street sidewalk: golden green, shimmering, and hardly taller than an inch. Clearly 3D-printed, it was posed like a puppy on their haunches. It wasn’t until a friend asked in March, “Do you know about the unicorns?” that I suspected magic was afoot.
I collected the figure from my nightstand and asked, “Like this?” His aunt in Wisconsin had seen on a local news station that an anonymous person — or people — sprinkled the tiny creatures around the city. Before long, to my begrudging amusement, a mysterious artist had me telling friends and family that I’d taken up “unicorn hunting.” When the unicorns hit Rhode Island news, the maker’s anonymity was emphasized. Who was behind the operation and why hadn’t they come forth? Other famed hide-and-seek projects around the state came to mind: Shepard Fairey’s famed Andre the Giant Has a Posse sticker and Eben Horton’s Glass Floats.
Headlines waned, but the figures continued to appear. Enchanted, I set off to survey the barkeeps and bouncers of locations the maker frequented. To my amazement, the first bartender I spoke with gave a physical description, and another showed me a social media profile. The maker’s firm anonymity fell away, and I was stunned by the photos shared. Some featured local spots with unicorns in the background, while others documented litter they found and disposed of. Knowing others were out there on the hunt enveloped me in a neighborly safety. I was reminded of the 2016 arrival of Pokémon Go and the comfort of walking at night with trainers around. Given the habitual route the maker took through Federal Hill, the neighborhood I call home, I couldn’t believe we hadn’t crossed paths … until a chance encounter at an immersive theater performance in Olneyville last June. After the show, while my visiting mother, a friend, and I chatted with the cast, I spotted a figure crossing the theater space. I grabbed my mom’s arm and whispered, “That’s the f***ing unicorn person!” I darted after them and announced, “I’m a huge fan of what you do!” “Do you know what I do?” they asked. I yanked items from my purse — face glitter, an emergency snack, lactase tablets — and tossed them to the ground in search of a unicorn. (A helpful bouncer/ informant always carries one with her — figuring this beckoned good fortune, I followed suit.) I presented a pastel gradient unicorn, and in return, they handed me a tricolor one with fairy wings.
Out poured a rainbow of questions: Why unicorns? Their niece — four years old at the time — had requested unicorns, and so it began. Why leave them around town? Joy! They appreciate the long walks and the excitement of people who find them. Knowing that someone’s day is brightened, even if they’re not around to see it happen, makes it worthwhile. They even put some unicorns at a lower vantage point to give kids a better chance of finding them. When did this even start? Though guesses have ranged from years ago to the start of 2024, this maker’s first unicorns hit the streets in December 2023.
How many are out there?! At the time of writing, more than 3,500 have been printed. What happens if it’s windy? From the maker, “I just risk it. I throw unicorns to the wind.” Are they always left in the same places? Some spots are musts — public checkerboard tables, for example — but others are opportunistic. Unicorns are never left in residential spaces. Do the colors mean anything? Yes and no! More purple unicorns are found over any color, suggesting a hierarchy of rarity. However, the maker dissolved this presumption by sharing that purple is not only their favorite color, but also their mother’s. Remembering her by spreading purple into the world is a cornerstone of the project, making the purple unicorns perhaps the most special. I’ve heard some wear hats? Yes! Some sport iconic accessories of anime characters or flaunt other animals’ traits. Some unicorns feature the same distinguishing accessories the maker wears while on walks. (For your amusement, dear reader: that 3D print file is named “meicorns.”)
Are there any rules? For now: (1) be kind, and (2) please do not throw the unicorns. Are you trying to stay anonymous? Not entirely, but the semi-secrecy enhances the allure. As with any art, once the unicorns are released into the wild, what happens next is up to the finders. The maker welcomes finders to collect them, leave them, or relocate them to new nooks. I rehide some unicorns I find around my apartment and gift others to friends and strangers alike. When family visits, I take them unicorn hunting. Some suggest that the maker is leaving pieces of plastic that will only become trash on the ground. The maker has noted they pick up quite a bit of trash as they go — this hopefully encourages the same habit in hunters. For now, the maker continues placing the creatures around Providence and beyond. Even when the day arrives where the last unicorn is placed, there’s no doubt new treasures will be found around the city. The people of Providence cannot help but bring magic to every corner. •
Jess Costanza is a PVD-based linguist and arts educator whose pockets are almost certainly full of things she found on the ground.
