Urban Prankster » mass transit

Madrid Street Advertising Takeover

Charlie Todd — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 20:29:52 +0000

Public Ad Campaign strikes again with a new advertising takeover. This one took over 106 bus shelter ads in Madrid. Artists around the world were asked to submit text for the billboards. The above photo shows text I personally submitted. It translates to: “advertisement for a bad movie.” Check out all the other photos and artists here.

Here’s the project summary:

MaSAT (Madrid Street Advertising Takeover) is the second international street ad takeover project, and the third in a series of civil disobedience projects intent on changing our expectations of public behavior in our shared environments. For this SAT project we targeted Cemusa bus shelters in 4 heavily populated locations around Madrid. This time, at the request of our Madrid based collaborators, participants were asked to submit only text based works. This fantastic idea allowed us to open up the submission request process to a wide range of individuals including sociologist, teachers, lawyers, gallery owners and anyone with a concern for the curation and participation in public space. Each of the 106 individuals were asked to submit one sentiment they wished to see exhibited on the streets. The result is a variety of unique visions of public dialogue and a glimpse at the possibilities available when we open up our public environment in a truly public way.

Spoiler Alert on the NY Subway

Charlie Todd — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:13:49 +0000

Awesome new project from Newmindspace and Jason Eppink!

The Spoiler Alert signs warn waiting riders of this potentially unwanted information — allowing them to avert their eyes so they may preserve their spirit of adventure — while still leaving visible the data for travelers who wish to ruin the surprise for themselves.

Spoiler Alert

Poster Boy – Gone Fishin

Charlie Todd — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:18:36 +0000

On February 21, 2009, an advertising firm handed Poster Boy a MoMA jacket and gave him free range of the MoMA branded Atlantic-Pacific subway station in New York. Turns out the firm wasn’t supposed to do that, and MoMA fired them. Whoops.

Check out Posterboy’s brand new book.

Via Keith Haskel

Outtakes from Star Wars Subway Car

Charlie Todd — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:22:32 +0000

(View it larger on YouTube)

An outtakes video from Improv Everywhere’s Star Wars Subway Car mission.

New Improv Everywhere: The Mute Button
Carousel Horse Race Prank by Improv Everywhere

Improv Everywhere: Star Wars Subway Car Prank

Charlie Todd — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 06:39:04 +0000

(View it larger on YouTube)
edited by Matt Adams / music by Gustav Holst, arranged by Tyler Walker

For their latest mission, Improv Everywhere staged a reenactment of the first Princess Leia / Darth Vader scene from Star Wars on a New York City subway car.

Photos and report: Star Wars Subway Car

Carousel Horse Race Prank by Improv Everywhere
New Improv Everywhere: The Mute Button

Hobo Living Room

Alex Scordelis — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:50:41 +0000

For the train spotter who likes to work in style, this decorative art/love seat installation was seen in the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle.

via Wooster Collective

Dead Body Prank

Charlie Todd — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:51:00 +0000

Improv AZ, a group that formed on the Urban Prankster Network set up by Improv Everywhere, recently dressed up in shirts that read “Coroner” and took what looked like a dead body around Phoenix.

Project page.

Carousel Horse Race Prank by Improv Everywhere

Improv Everywhere’s No Pants Subway Ride 2010 Video

Charlie Todd — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 03:57:59 +0000

(No Pants Subway Ride 2010 in HD on YouTube)

From Improv Everywhere:

On Sunday, January 10th, 2010 over 5,000 people took off their pants on subways in 44 cities around the world. In New York, the 9th Annual No Pants! Subway Ride had over 3,000 participants, spread out over six meeting points and ten subway lines.

See the full report and photos: No Pants Subway Ride 2010

Carousel Horse Race Prank by Improv Everywhere
New Improv Everywhere: The Mute Button

Nostalgia Train Tea Party

Charlie Todd — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:30:37 +0000

Every so often the MTA runs vintage “Nostalgia Trains” in the New York subway for special occasions. Last month the Levy Family organized a old-timey tea party on one of those trains, effectively completing the “turn back the clock” atmosphere.

video via the Subway Art Blog

Couples Retreat

Charlie Todd — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:28:05 +0000

This made me laugh out loud today. Someone put googly eyes on all of the characters on the poster for the new movie Couple’s Retreat in the C/E subway station on 23rd (once home to a very fine art gallery!) The station continues to be a great place to spot hilarious stuff like this.

My first suspects are Googly Eye Cru and Katie Sokoler.