Urban Prankster » streets

Astor Place Rubik’s Cube

Charlie Todd — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:28:25 +0000

This prank is seven years old, but not enough people know about it. It’s a classic.

Parisian Swing Sets

Alex Scordelis — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:50:12 +0000

French artist Jerome G. Demuth is turning the streets of Paris into a playground by installing swings around town. Demuth (who also goes by simply “G”) calls the installation, Swing the City.

Paris’s SwinGs from Jerome G. Demuth on Vimeo.

via Wooster Collective

Park(ing) Day 2009
Hobo Living Room
Crosswalk Dominoes

Rush Hour Puppet Show

Alex Scordelis — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:04:54 +0000

Joel Kyack, a Los Angeles based artist, is using puppetry to help rush hour commuters stave off boredom. Kyack’s new project, Superclogger, presents puppet shows out of the back of a pick-up truck to drivers stuck in traffic jams. A soundtrack to the puppet show will be broadcast to the viewer’s car stereo. If you live in the Los Angeles area, check Superclogger’s twitter site which gives daily updates on the mobile puppet show’s location.

Twitter Bird Costume Prank at SXSW
Prank Emails Read on Christian TV Show

New Improv Everywhere: The Tourist Lane

Charlie Todd — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:35:55 +0000

(View it larger on YouTube) | Subscribe to us on YouTube
idea by Jeff Greenspan / edited by Matt Adams / song by Tyler Walker

For Improv Everywhere’s latest mission, they created separate walking lanes for tourists and New Yorkers on a Fifth Avenue sidewalk. Department of Transportation “employees” were on hand to enforce the new rules and ask pedestrians for their feedback on the initiative. Enjoy the video first and then go behind-the-scenes with the photos and report on IE’s site:

Improv Everywhere: The Tourist Lane

Also check out these other recent Improv Everywhere missions:

I Love Lunch! project page

Who You Gonna Call? project page

Guerrila Handbell Strikeforce project page

Where's Rob project page

Subscribe to Improv Everywhere on YouTube

New Improv Everywhere – A Handbell Choir Helps out a Salvation Army Bell Ringer
Improv Everywhere’s No Pants Subway Ride 2010 Video
New Improv Everywhere: Where’s Rob? – Lost at a Knicks Game

Missile Balloons

Charlie Todd — Wed, 26 May 2010 12:28:22 +0000

Probably not a good idea, but very funny.

Altered Delivery Menus

Charlie Todd — Wed, 05 May 2010 12:10:51 +0000

New York artist Liz Filardi was tired of getting delivery menus slipped under her door and shoved in her face on the street. So she began collected them and adding her own messages that more accurately describe the interaction between the solicitor and solicited. She then passed them out herself on the streets.

More photos.

Astoria Scum River Bridge

Charlie Todd — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:03:11 +0000

We love this project by Jason Eppink and Posterchild. An urban prank that prompts local government to fix a problem. How great is that?

Astoria Scum River Bridge project page

Super Hero Changing Station
Turning Flyer Boxes into Planters
New Improv Everywhere: The Tourist Lane

Umbrella Dome

Charlie Todd — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:41:41 +0000

Bucky Bar is a temporary, unauthorized installation created by DUS Architects in Rotterdam:

Last Friday evening Feb. 19th The Bucky Bar opened, a temporary public building designed by DUS Architects. The dome-bar, entirely made of umbrella’s, appeared seemingly suddenly out of nowhere on the street around a lamppost in the centre of Rotterdam. The fully equipped bar, complete with DJ and drinks, was directly built on site. Approximately 300 visitors danced under the umbrella roof, until at 2:00 AM the police ended the party, as there was no permit.

Via Laughing Squid

Ghost Hole at the Putting Lot
Great Dome Rick Roll
Living Sculptures

Horse Drawn Hummer

Charlie Todd — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 12:30:51 +0000

Artist Jeremy Dean converted a Hummer into a stage coach. Whoa.

On Sunday March 8th 2010 Jeremy Dean made New york City history by taking his converted Hummer entitled Futurama out for a spin. Entering Central park in New York at 69th St. and Central Park West (at the old Tavern on the Green location) Dean had his hand crafted vehicle pulled by two white horse aptly named Duke and Diesel.

Dean has taken a gas guzzling 8 mile-per-gallon HUMMER H2, a symbol of extravagance, and converted it into a working horse drawn cart. Dean has pimped it out with silver chrome, working LED lights and a booming audio and video system. He calls this piece the CEO Stagecoach.

Park(ing) Day 2009

Interactive Gordon Brown

Charlie Todd — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:21:21 +0000

UK street artist Contra installed a life-size cut out of Prime Minister Gorden Brown on the south bank opposite The Houses of Parliament in London. Also attached was a speech bubble made with dry-erase board material, allowing each stranger to add his own voice. The video is a touch long, but has some very nice moments. We love projects like this that encourage public participation. Reminds us of Ji Lee’s bubble project.

Art in Odd Places 2009