Monday, July 22, 2013

Public Reaction - street art in Brookline

Public Reaction - street art in Brookline

8:09 AM July 22, 2013 after a little bit of rain.
Now that we have had some rain the sidewalk is mostly clear of the chalk. Except where there were leafy brnches or a bench that interfered with the rain showeer, most of the chalk is gone. People have asked me what the reaction was to my project. I have recorded it all faithfully and share it here:

8:08AM July 22, 2013
Reaction #1 6:03AM 
Taxi driver: I see you are decorating my cab stand.
Me: Yes I am beautifying and edifying
(he walks from one end to the other )
Taxi driver: That's  good.  I like what you say.
( A fare gets in his cab and he is gone)
Reaction #2 6:45 AM  
Young Woman: Did you have to get a permit to do this ?
Me: Yes,  I have my permit right here, if you 'd like to see.
Young woman: I wasn't trying to cause trouble - just curious.
Me: No worries. I'm kinda bummed I needed a permit at all.
(she checks her phone, then looks at writing from both sides of bus stop bench)
Young woman: Are you a hippie or a radical?
Me: A radical. Definitely.
Young woman: I thought so.
Me: Kinda cool that you know the difference.
Young woman: There is 30% chance of thunderstorm this afternoon - what are you going to do?
Me: Nothing. Those are the breaks with chalk art!
( The #66 bus comes and she is gone) 
 
Reaction #3 7:49 AM
Thirtysomething woman: Excuse me -  there's a typo.
Me: Sorry?
Thirtysomething woman: : There's a typo*.  You have an apostrophe in its - there shouldn't be.
Me: O dear! I will fix it immediately.  Thank you.
Thirtysomething woman:  It is such a good quote - why spoil it with a mistake.
Me: True. Thanks again.
( The #66 bus comes and she is gone)


And that's the end of public engagement with this art as I was creating it.  This afternoon's rain should be the end of the visual installment. I want to complete the project so I may reapply.

Not to be picky but shouldn't we say a "chalko" instead of "typo"?