Street Memes

June 25, 2004 6:28 AM

Street Memes. a sticker, stencil, or poster that can spread a single image around the world. Unlike traditional graffiti art where each piece is unique, street memes can be copied repeatedly, taking on a life of their own, and spreading through the collective effort of people scattered around the world. [via Eyebeam reBlog]
posted by soundofsuburbia (12 comments total)

Interesting site. It got me wondering does anyone know who does the Brooklyn octopus / UFO (scroll down) symbol? I'll try posting it there, but does anyone here know?
posted by milovoo at 7:04 AM on June 25, 2004

You mean I could've spent all this time adding a sticker or some damn stencilwork to street signs, payphones, etc.?

NOW WHAT THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH ALL THESE
"Toynbee ideas in Kubrick's 2001 resurrect dead on planet Jupiter" TILES???
posted by Smart Dalek at 7:07 AM on June 25, 2004

I love sites like this! (see also: Wooster Collective, populardelujo)
posted by shoepal at 7:08 AM on June 25, 2004

milo, I believe those little animals are the work of Neck Face.
posted by chicobangs at 7:37 AM on June 25, 2004

Is it really a "meme" if it's just some vague image? For the most part, these are just pictures whose meaning (if there even is one) isn't discernable. Obviously some ("Stop The RNC") are trying to spread a message. I don't know, I think the word "meme" is overused enough as it is, let alone when it's misused.
posted by pardonyou? at 7:38 AM on June 25, 2004

Smart Dalek: Hehehe!

Also, gotta give props to Akay. Great stuff.
posted by soundofsuburbia at 7:39 AM on June 25, 2004

milo, I believe those little animals are the work of Neck Face.

You may be right, as neck face is pretty prolific around here, but the octopi/ufo seem like a differant style.
posted by milovoo at 7:55 AM on June 25, 2004

I recently blogged something like this, on the occasion of seeing They Live at the Washington Psychotronic Film Society. It is, apparently, the origin of the OBEY meme, a fact of which I was wholly unaware until Rowdy Roddy Piper's character donned reveal-all glasses. MrsMoonPie and I had been playing with sidewalk chalk a few days earlier (hey, my daughter was with us), and she included that admonishment amongst our artwork. But we had no idea where it came from; we just blindly, well, obeyed. When we saw the first OBEY sign in the movie, we cracked up, much to the confusion of those around us.
posted by MrMoonPie at 8:16 AM on June 25, 2004

Hmm, someone here says it's Harif Guzman.
I'll have to look that up when I'm not in class.
posted by milovoo at 8:17 AM on June 25, 2004

Re. 'They Live,' the face also reminds me of images of Big Brother in the 1984 version of '1984.'
posted by carter at 9:06 AM on June 25, 2004

I just assumed it was the other guy. (I'm at work, where research is not always possible.)

Still, I'm happy to be shown the goofy eight-legged ghost of truth. If it's out there.
posted by chicobangs at 9:53 AM on June 25, 2004

Where's Stanley?
posted by fluffycreature at 10:18 AM on June 25, 2004