Pixelator. Abstractor. You had me at "subversion."
If you’re like me, you remember the first time you drove east 94 out of Saint Paul and saw the new ClearChannel electronic billboard and thought, “what the hell is that godawful thing."
As with any development in advertising, you can love it, leave it, or turn it against itself.
Thank you Brain Sells for uncovering a few artists who are experts at repurposing and manipulating modern electronic advertising.
I say any day a billboard gets subverted is a good day.
So you take some foam core. Make a grid thing the size of the video screen/digital panel that you want to mess with. Tape some heavy frost diffusion gels on it. And go cover up said screen or panel.
You can start out slow and subvert smaller screens at first.
Then move up to bigger ones.
More of this at Jason Eppink Flickr page. Totally worth the trip.
Or skip the mood lighting and get straight to the point:
Yow. Good burn. By AntiAdvertisingAgency as a part of their Light Criticism campaign.
Finally, after a long day of subverting, Ji Lee’s ABSTRACTOR turns video screens into a single bar of morphing colors and is “great for parties, sleeping and yoga.”
While exploring Denver I encountered these four story pennants advertising Denver’s theater and arts district topped by illustrations that were done by Sheppard Fairey. I’m sharing them here to save you a trip and to demonstrate the lengths to which RBB consistently goes to bring new and exciting design perspective to your attention.
I’m not sure why I always find this sort of thing so amusing but I confess that I do. More at Wooster Collective Have a surreal day.
I know this blog is supposed to be about design and not this sign but I can’t resist posting the latest shot when my SF brutha sends me an update. We’re not 100 percent sure what it means (beings who communicate via signs have a long history of causing confusion) so if you have an idea post a comment.
While slouching around San Francisco my brother pointed out this very authentic looking, but unofficial Evacuation Plan sign in an alley behind the SFMOMA. Quickly evacuating SF is probably not possible so this advice may be as good as any you’re likely to get. Apparently the author of this work of urban art has posted others. Anyone have photos to share?
I stumbled upon this really nice piece of urban street art the other day. I understand there are others in the area but this one on the corner of 6th Street and Hennepin (here in the ultra-hip, Minneapolis, ad agency district) reminds me of the old school skateboard decks done by Jim Phillips for Santa Cruz Anyone know the story behind these?
I’ve been a fan of Joshua Allen Harris since I first saw his trash bag animals, but this centaur and rat are crazy. Imagine walking down the street at night in New York and being confronted by a giant rat. Scary, but oh so cool.
(via Wooster Collective)