Michael Pederson’s Hilarious Public Place Art

Australian Artist Michael Pederson, who also goes by the name Miguel Marquez has a series of hilarious public art, where he intercepts bland, banal, or random parts of our public space, and turns them into humorous scenes. In one instance, a dandelion growing out of the sidewalk becomes an art piece, with a full velvet rope blocking people from getting too close. In another, a sewer pipe opening becomes a strange one way conversation, complete with text bubbles taken straight from an iPhone, brought into the physical world using paper and string.  The locations are clever, and the way he adds a formal yet tongue-in-cheek flavor with signage make the art memorable and smile-worthy. Via MyModernMet:

“I can’t remember exactly what originally inspired me to do these outdoor projects, but it had been in the back of my mind for quite some time before I started,” Pederson tells My Modern Met. “I had a small drawing show a few years ago which featured images and text. One of the pieces was also placed in a more public context and seemed to work better that way. Placing something unexpected out on the street can have a powerful element of surprise. It really got me hooked, and I’ve wanted to explore street interventions ever since.”