Street Artist Proposes on Subway Signage

Street artist Posterchild, who hails from Toronto but has recently been spending time in New York, just proposed to his girlfriend... via street art, of course. He says his lady love Sonja, "thought she was just helping me out with another street art project; I kept this covered until after it was installed and after the unveiling I was expecting some kind of reaction — but it took a little while to convince her that this was a proposal for real, and not just some art project!"

Torontoist talked to the Sonja, who said yes, and she told them: "I had absolutely completely no idea that he had been planning this. This is so old hat for us: we go out almost every night, and he puts things up, and I document, or I help him carry things. And he was like, 'Oh, we'll walk around and get a drink, and while we're out I'll throw something up that I have to put up.'" In fact, she thought it was part of a project he had recently been talking about, in which he'd put up signs "with sayings that would make people feel uncomfortable."

The big question was popped at the 23rd Street station, where Sonja says she "stood there with a video camera, filming." Watch that video after the jump...

Proposal from posterchild on Vimeo.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in Arts and Events on November 27, 2009 4:00 PM

Comments [rss]

Jen S

Someone buy this girl a tripod!

tylerstjames

3rdbridge - your just an angry/negative person...and yeah..weve all been there...ANTI ANTI ANTI blah blah boooring!!!! but, some of us moved on!!!!

Ive been following this dudes shenanigans from across the globe here in Australia....and I think what he does and how he goes about doing it - is really quite cool and post modern and a little quirky...and there's a fragility in his work that is suffocated by negativity like yours...

the3rdbridge

Law and order are fragile. This is the undermining element. As I said earlier, if this was for a higher moral purpose, or even art for art's sake, I would be behind this. But it isn't. This is someone using a source of ad revenue, which is vital to the operation of the transit system we all rely on, for selfish ends. Trust me, I am hot on art. This is not art, this is vandalism. Everyone on here that is upset with me is upset because I am pointing out the most correct way of looking at this, but that unfortunately, such perspective happens to coincide with corporate interests instead of the bohemian mindset.

tylerstjames

Hmmm - OK - Maybe I overreacted - I apologise...I only get the odd "snippet" about his "work" and its come across as quite creative...but I don't live there.. (Hope to - one day!!!)..so - I guess I should listen to the locals...I guess he's more destructive - than constructive then...hmm..nah You've certainly made me think about "street art" in general now..Sorry 3rdbridge. I should stop automatically supporting things that seem creative on the surface..

S.K.

Remember, Keith Haring also once did "art" on the subway. Other commuters ridiculed him. He became fabulously famous. So did Basquiat. So don't write off Poster Boy yet.

On the other hand, most commuters will probably outlive Haring and Basquiat.

elpollodiablo

Why are Gothamist comments usually of sub-YouTube quality? This doesn't seem to be the case with other Gawker Media sites.

Espiazul

3rd bridge, relax. The sign is removeable, and he removed it. Dude, did something fun for his girl. He did something stories are made of. You sound like China 20 years ago. Have a sense of spontaneity and adventure....

the3rdbridge

Thanks! I shall be spontaneously latch onto this example and adventurously defend the logic that is the foundation of our society.

MrManhattan

My ex and I did that(at least)one better. We invited 40-50 people for an unrelated occasion on April Fools day and got married.

If it weren't for the divorce 15 years later, there would still be several people who thought it was the most elaborate April Fools Day prank ever.

the3rdbridge

I read about the somewhere (unless you know of others that did the same thing). Now that is awesome and creative. I don't suppose you could get away with doing that with the next one?

the3rdbridge

Perhaps when it's time for me to propose to my partner I'll just scribble piss "Will You Marry Me?" on the floor of the NYPL...

weatherman2012

@the3rdbridge, speaking of weak ass shit, you really bring nothing to the mix as trolls go and talking about social welfare and moral welfare won't hide the pea size of both your brain and cultural compass.

Congrats young lovers!!!

the3rdbridge

This is fantastic. I'm glad you've presented some kind of logical argument that refutes my points on their merit instead of a cheap and unqualified personal attack. Congratulations Weatherman, you get a Fuck You too!

the3rdbridge

Fuck this asshole. You can't just deface common property for your selfish ends because you feel like it. If he was making a statement that benefited the general social welfare or had some higher moral value I would be behind this. This is just my tax tollars paying for this prick to propose to his girlfriend instead of generating revenue to offset the transit deficit. Um, once again, FUCK THIS PRICK.

birdmechanical

Bridge, I agree with everyone else, you suck.

It hurt no one, didn't damage property, didn't somehow steal from your taxes, and advertisers didn't take away money, it's a light hearted story that gives some people warm fuzzies. A nice romantic gesture. And how you compare this to urinating, is beyond me.

Lighten up.

Life's about more than ad revenue and yourself.

the3rdbridge

In what way did any of my statements imply that I have my own self interest in mind? I do care about ad revenue, since it is a vital source of income for the MTA. If it was art, it would be fine. If it was calling attention to an important social issue or simply intending to please others aesthetically in some manner that enriches our culture, fine. It wasn't, it was a marriage proposal. If you want a marriage proposal on a subway entrance, I am totally with you. But you'd better pay for it.

limedcoconut

ha, what a loser.

the3rdbridge

See @Weatherman.

hungryghoast

it's removable and does no damage to the property you fucking over reacting self righteous shit.

Fuck YOU, prick.

the3rdbridge

How dare I be so self-righteous by caring about common property/wealth. You should try putting your comments through a logic filter before you post this weak ass shit. Oh, and fuck you for measure.