@PhysicalMemes breaks the fourth wall
@PhysicalMemes break the fourth wall with the street art memes of your dreams
Imagine if you will, a world where memes exist not only on your screens, but also in the streets of Vancouver. A poster nestled between advertisements for local businesses tells you that it has tremendous respect for Garth Brooks and Michelle Pfeiffer, it doesn’t know why, but that’s how it feels. No, this isn’t the twilight zone, or a fever dream. It’s the reality created by the street art duo @PhysicalMemes.
And hey, maybe you’re not a child of the internet. Maybe you’re asking, “what in tarnation does this blogger mean by memes in the street?”
That’s fair, let me back it up for you. Simply put, @physicalmemes are using posters and other props for short absurdist storytelling. Honestly though, it’s best not to think too hard about it.
These memes run the gamut from ads for professional scapegoats; crackers spread with toothpaste featuring a free sample sign; all the way to hotdogs dangling from a telephone pole (do not eat the free hot dogs).
The team behind this project took some time out of their busy schedule of wreaking havoc on the city to answer a few questions.
Stick: Your work is a combo of street art and surreal dank-memage, what made you first think that memes belonged in the street?
Physical Memes: It started by being under-stimulated at work and having access to a printer. I covered the break room in nonsensical flyers featuring my co-workers and other random stuff. Eventually, I put one of the flyers up outside of my workplace. I enjoyed the absurdity and silliness that came from sharing them publicly.
S: Is it satisfying to see people witness your work?
PM: Yeah, sometimes we'll step away and watch reactions. We enjoy that they make people smile, laugh or shake their head in confusion. However, most people walk by without noticing or stopping to take a closer look.
S: Is occupying public space with art important to building a better city, or at least making it funnier?
PM: It goes without saying that great/cool art can notably improve a city and the lives of the people living in it. We don't have city planner aspirations like George Costanza though! We just try to make stuff that we find funny and share it through the medium of comedic street art. If you have the time and inclination, we highly suggest you give it a try wherever you are. Make a weird flyer or piece of art and post it in public or at work! It's a good time and cheaper than the movies.
S: You’ve taken some of these memes to a new dimension by adding things like hot dogs and celery? No rules. Infinite resources. What art would you create in any Vancouver space to make the city better... or weirder?
PM: Adding 3D objects to the flyers gives us more options and people seem to enjoy it. It would be cool to do bigger scale things in the future- in both physical size and distribution. For now- we live our lives one flyer at a time, mannnn.
You heard it here first folks! Don’t forget to keep your eyes open for more dank-memage in our city!
By: Stick*
https://www.instagram.com/stickvancouver/