Greenpoint Street Art Going for 145K

For over a decade, prankster artist Paul Richard has been attaching art exhibit plaques to fire hydrants and other unlikely objects around New York City and Boston. Now he’s brought the gag to Manhattan Avenue in Greenpoint, where his latest work is on sale for $145,000. Inquiries may be made on the artist’s website, and a gold star goes to the first commenter who can tell the class what purpose this thing actually serves.

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By John Del Signore in Arts and Events on June 9, 2008 2:47 PM

Comments [rss]

qwerty

A bit of sardonic wit never hurt anyone. Lighten up people!

jaycjay

"oh come on gothamist, paul has lived in greenpoint for years and there's plenty of his appropriations all around the neighborhood.

keep moving people there is nothing new here to be seen."

I can't imagine Paul or any other artist really wants the thinking to go that way: "some people have already seen some of his stuff, so please don't talk about him or his art any more."

sonyactivision

Art has eaten itself. It's over with.

subtexture

oh come on gothamist, paul has lived in greenpoint for years and there's plenty of his appropriations all around the neighborhood.

keep moving people there is nothing new here to be seen.

taipan85

Brooklyn Rail did an article about him a few months ago and it was pretty entertaining:

http://www.brooklynrail.org/2008/03/streets/1000

spiritross

I hope someone buys it

Then the city can arrest this guy for stealing city property

Gregoire

As a piece of art, what does it MEAN?

joerosewater

Might have been a bit funnier with a couple paragraphs of a pretentious "artist's statement."

RooseveltIsland360

http://www.forgotten-ny.com/STREET%20SCENES/vents/vents.html

As noted above it is indeed a street vent.

spizzletrunk

An early version of one of these.

nomnomnom

I think it's for ventilation purposes.

MisterTissue

Still, worth a giggle. Probably a step further than Duchamp, in that it's a comment on the Greenpoint/Williamsburg (and NYC at large) art scene as much as it is a comment on art qua art as Duchamp was.