Ganzeer for Art in Ad Places. Photo by Luna Park.
The stars aligned this week, and after two years of hoping to work with Ganzeer, we made it happen. A version of his poster, an illustration of Maya Desnuda, was previously exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum back in 2015, but we think it works just as well outdoors. Whether it’s as a shout or a whisper, so many billboards seem to say, “You can touch my body if you buy this product” or “People will only want to touch your body if you buy this product,” so a pay phone seems an especially poignant location for Ganzeer and Desnuda’s message.
Ganzeer told us, “I'm participating in Art in Ad Places because cities should be controlled by the people who live in them and not solely by corporations and their interests. New Yorkers have a right not to be bombarded by ads for dumb products they never wanted or asked for, and instead should retain the right to express themselves and their opinions openly in public space and be exposed to the opinions of fellow city dwellers in turn, for it is the only way to further societal development (at least far more effectively than with more ‘breast augmentation’ ads). Speaking of breasts and other human body parts, this particular work of art was chosen because women should clearly be able to display (or not) their bodies however they mighty well please without worry of judgement or harassment. Any laws or social conditioning standing in the way of this very basic human liberty must cease to exist effective immediately.”
We couldn’t agree more.
Ganzeer for Art in Ad Places. Photo by Luna Park.