While they’re a necessity in most modern cites and towns, utility boxes tend to look pretty…well…utilitarian. But that’s not the case anymore in Auckland, New Zealand, thanks to the work of artist Paul Walsh.
Chorus, the company that owns many of these units, has given Walsh permission to decorate their Auckland boxes. We think this quirky art is a great addition to the city!
So how did Walsh come by this sanctioned public art opportunity?
According to the artist, it all started in 2013. He painted an image of Grumpy Cat on the wall of his local dog park, and it quickly became popular with visitors. City officials weren’t having it, though, so they painted over it.
This sparked a slew of public backlash, and people even started a petition to have the painting restored. That caught the attention of a local newspaper, and that coverage then caught Chorus’ attention. Chorus contacted Walsh with an offer: if he couldn’t paint on the walls, he could unleash his creativity on their units around the city.
Taking them up on their proposal, he immediately got to work.
Walsh receives a small payment for each box, which covers time, materials, and travel.
This skilled painter uses Internet memes as inspiration for many of his pieces, since Internet service to the city’s residents is facilitated by the boxes themselves.
Without the boxes, there would be no memes at all. According to Walsh, “pictures of ‘AstroSloth’ and ‘Awkward Seal’ had probably already been transmitted through these boxes before I painted them on the outside.”
This one seems to have been inspired by a certain alien-looking kitty.
Other images are simply painted because they’re delightful.
The painted boxes have been a big hit, both with Aukland residents and people following the project online. Walsh says that he plans to continue painting in Auckland, but his ultimate goal is to start creating public art in other cities around the world.
(via BoredPanda)
You can see more of Walsh’s utility boxes on his website, where you’ll also find his illustrative and commercial artwork. And make sure you follow his projects on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with this artist’s many adventures.
