Public Witness Ledger

In the mid-21st century, the role of the notary evolved from certifying legal contracts and records to affirming moments of lived presence. This marked a civic shift: society began to regard small truths - fleeting observations, vows of love, personal struggles, communal dreams - as worthy of public record. 

Public witnesses were ordinary citizens, appointed by civic lottery to serve temporary terms. Their task was not to judge, but to bear witness - to receive what was shared, to recognize it, and to record it. Ultimately, to acknowledge that this was lived. These attestations were gathered into public ledgers and preserved as part of the civic archive. 
This artifact is among the earliest surviving examples. It documents a transitional moment when witnessing itself became a recognized public good - when presence, once private, was elevated into, and held in common memory. 

Contributors
Dominique
IllestPreacha
Carmina Miana
Victoria Solan
Macy Siu
Anonymous

Publisher
Possible Worlds

Publication Date
2025

Size
4 x 6 inches 
26 pages

Binding
Softcover, saddle-stitched