fun with streetboxes

November 21, 2004 10:41 PM

Fun with streetboxes.
posted by cmonkey (15 comments total)

Note: the linked page is SFW but the home site definitely ain't.
posted by argybarg at 10:43 PM on November 21, 2004

Oh, I didn't even check. Sorry about that.
posted by cmonkey at 10:47 PM on November 21, 2004

In brisbane, .au, we have heaps of these things painted to feature nearby landmarks or buildings.

My favourite is one that is nearby a childcare centre, and it's covered in a tasteful imitation of 4-year-old-art complete with fingerpainting.
posted by Jerub at 10:54 PM on November 21, 2004

trompe l'oeil is fantabulous.
*digs out paintbox, runs outside*
posted by exlotuseater at 11:19 PM on November 21, 2004

This is indeed very nice. I wish someone would do this sort of thing around my area. Unfortunately, I have no artistic talent whatsoever.
posted by nightchrome at 11:32 PM on November 21, 2004

Are these sorts of projects sanctioned by the city or considered to be grafitti? I imagine it would take a while to paint one of those so I would assume they are allowed...
posted by rooftop secrets at 11:35 PM on November 21, 2004

Nice find, cmonkey. Those are great.
posted by Salmonberry at 11:45 PM on November 21, 2004

One thing I don't usually expect out of the military is a homoerotic parody of a goofy European music video. {both links wmv; second link less sfw than the first}
posted by Bezbozhnik at 12:50 AM on November 22, 2004

Bez: Don't ask, don't tell.
posted by mek at 3:36 AM on November 22, 2004

Those things look great. It's nice to see somebody have fun with something normally so mundane. Much nicer than the box by my parents house that had "U2 rules" spray painted on it for about 10 years (the graffiti was redone within days of each attempt to paint over it).
posted by HifiToaster at 4:43 AM on November 22, 2004

*joins exlotuseater outside with more paint & brushes*

My neighborhood needs this perk.
posted by dabitch at 5:32 AM on November 22, 2004

"Are these sorts of projects sanctioned by the city or considered to be grafitti?"

here in Somerville, MA, the City Arts Council sponsors it. They even pay for the paint. Also, I think anyone can do it- it's not limited to "professional" artists.
posted by bobot at 5:56 AM on November 22, 2004

I would love this sort of thing to be more popular. Public murals, art projects, etc. should be pervasive in urban environments. We're surrounded with so many ugly things that we should try to beautify what's around us.

Bravo.
posted by craven_morhead at 10:47 AM on November 22, 2004

Someone has been doing this in Culver City, but they're adhesive inkjet outputs wrapped around the boxes, and they're photoprints of whatever's behind the box so they just sort of blend in and vanish when viewed from the right angle.
posted by loquacious at 1:49 PM on November 22, 2004

The ones on this page are in Israel, I've seen them. Israel has a history of public art (much of it financed buy doners in the USA, from what I've seen) with each municipality having some sculture or something like that.

I actually forget exactly where these are, but I think they're in Ramat Aviv, which is an upscale area next to Tel Aviv.
posted by cell divide at 2:13 PM on November 22, 2004