Janet Zweig's project was a generative sentence applied to a blank wall behind the Key Bank building. The sentence was developed through collaboration between the artist and the people of Columbus. Generative text can tap into unconscious or subconscious thoughts that can reveal hidden, insightful, poetic, and sometimes humorous truths. The first words of this sentence were written by the artist—“Columbus never came here, but...”—and were revealed over the course of six weeks. Additions to the sentence were installed phrase by phrase at approximately two-week intervals. Eventually, the wall was covered with text written by the public.

The new words were chosen by Zweig and the Finding Time curators from online submissions from people who live, work, or visit Columbus. Many of the selected phrases involved words that could create the possibility of shifting meanings as more words were added. The goal was to change the meaning of the sentence (or sentences) each time a new section was added, in an attempt to ultimately capture the soul of Columbus as described by its residents.

The city’s statement about itself was writ large, literally and figuratively, over the course of the year. Since the sentence was generated gradually, the final version was not revealed until April 2013. And even then, the statement didn’t draw to a definite conclusion but remained open ended, so that readers could continue it in their own minds. (The final version of “Columbus never…” remained on view for the duration of the project.)