These familiar figures are a part of the Pedestrian Project by costume designer Yvette Helin. From 1995 to September 11, 2001, Helin and a few friends donned these costumes and walked around New York City, inspired by the ubiquitous icons on street signs.
After 9/11, however, Helin no longer felt the desire to parade around New York City in an all-black costume--until now. She was contacted to participate in Manhattan's Art in Odd Places "Pedestrian" event and accepted. The first five images are from 2008; the last five are from various pre-9/11 dates.
Humanized Street Signs
The Pedestrian Project
Trend Themes
1. Humanization of Public Spaces - Organizations can create a trend of enhancing public spaces by making them more humanized and relatable through designs like humanized street signs.
2. Art in Public Spaces - The trend of showcasing art in public spaces can be leveraged by creative artists to attract audiences and bring about meaningful conversations in urban areas.
3. Community Collaboration - The trend of community collaboration can be fostered by local authorities to involve residents in the process of redesigning public spaces with art interventions like humanized street signs.
Industry Implications
1. Urban Planning - Urban planning firms can leverage the trend of humanizing public spaces by collaborating with architects and artists to create more livable, relatable, and engaging urban environments for residents.
2. Public Art - The trend of art in public spaces creates opportunities for public art organizations to partner with local authorities and businesses to showcase creative works and promote social dialogue in urban environments.
3. Community Development - Non-profit organizations can leverage the trend of community collaboration to channel community resources towards creating public spaces with art interventions like humanized street signs that foster a greater sense of community ownership and involvement.