Plastic bag animal sculptures for subway gratings

An unknown artist fashions animals out of plastic bags and fastens them to subway gratings, and the hot air inflates them and makes them puff up and wiggle.

The story we heard at dinner tonight is that there's an artist who's been making these animals out of discarded plastic bags. He (or she) ties the bags to the ventilation grates above the subway lines so that when the subway rushes through underneath, the animal jumps up and springs to life.

Link (Thanks, Marilyn!)

[#1 posted by iris , March 31, 2008 1:42 AM]

Actually, the Wooster Collective has a some interesting videos of these scuptures. They say that the name of the artist is Joshua Allen Harris.

Here's the link.

[#2 posted by Thad E Ginataom , March 31, 2008 3:10 AM]

What a wonderful thing to do.

So much 'art' just seems to inflate the ego of the artist --- this must be like being given a bunch of flowers by a stranger.

I'm too many thousands of miles away to ever see it, but thanks for bringing it to me anyway!

Thad E Ginathom

[#3 posted by runasand , March 31, 2008 3:12 AM]

It would have scared me.

[#4 posted by alisong76 , March 31, 2008 3:19 AM]

I'd probably shit myself if that happened in front of me, and I LIKE dogs!

[#5 posted by Vale , March 31, 2008 3:27 AM]

One of the most disturbingly sad things I've seen.

Where will the polar bears go when the ice has gone?

[#6 posted by alisong76 , March 31, 2008 3:29 AM]

There's video here.

[#7 posted by Takuan , March 31, 2008 7:25 AM]

why does this creature not have Coca Cola printed on its sides?

[#8 posted by noen , March 31, 2008 8:35 AM]

Beautiful, wonderful and creepy as hell.

[#9 posted by todayinart , March 31, 2008 9:09 AM]

I love it and had to feature it. Here is a video

[#10 posted by minTphresh , March 31, 2008 9:20 AM]

so...very...awesome...( drrroooool!)

[#11 posted by franko , March 31, 2008 12:13 PM]

brilliant. Takuan (#7) is right -- i'm sure that coke is in the process of some "guerilla" marketing scheme right now.

[#12 posted by Antinous , March 31, 2008 12:25 PM]

It looks like a baby seal waiting to be clubbed.

[#13 posted by cha0tic , March 31, 2008 12:37 PM]

The video was great. There seemed to be so much animation when the bear/dog leapt up. Something I wish I could see IRL. I'm sure small kids would have loved it.

[#14 posted by Muse , March 31, 2008 12:45 PM]

This is great. It is some of the best street art I have seen since Banksy.
http://www.banksy.co.uk/

The bear does look a bit creepy in the image, but I think it is because it is at night. If you watch the videos on the page Iris linked to it is more comical than anything.

I love that simple and unexpected works of art can break people out of the monotony of their day and make them happy for no reason at all.

My favorite example of street art is when the artist "True" replaced the warning signs on NY subways with these:
http://chrisglass.com/journal/images/2007/0613-life-instructions.jpg

[#15 posted by twig , March 31, 2008 1:52 PM]

Muse, that's really wonderful.

[#16 posted by gATO , March 31, 2008 3:31 PM]

I agree with Thad and Muse, it is indeed inspiring and fantastic to find good, unexpected street art. It makes my day.

[#17 posted by cha0tic , March 31, 2008 9:41 PM]

@ Thad, Muse and Gato. Yeah, stuff like this is made to make a day. First time I came across Banksy was a little Rat Bouncer, by a Red carpet and rat hole painted low down on some steps up from The Embankment in London. It was one of the best things I saw that weekend.

[#18 posted by Muse , April 1, 2008 1:25 AM]

I think that since street art has a subversive element at heart, it is fun to consider whimsical humor a subversive act in modern society. Did anyone who saw these little dancing plastic bag critters, or any of the other street art get inspired, even a little bit, to do anything creative? I'd like to think that creativity inspires more creativity, so even small acts can ripple out to have a larger effect on people's lives.

[#19 posted by Xydexx , April 1, 2008 1:44 PM]

Yay for inflatable animals in the urban wilderness!

[#20 posted by Anonymous , April 10, 2008 5:56 AM]

Does anyone know which station these are in the subway system?