2//TWO//AUSTRALIA - Traffic Boxes

One of the coolest things about Brisbane is this thing they do with Traffic Boxes. You know the metal boxes that are at every stop light in the world. Anthony Lister is an Australian artist that cares, I think at least, about community art. I love community art. Just stuff out in the community that people can sit on, lean on, touch. The stuff that's a part of life and gets worn away like we do. Art that's not on a wall somewhere with a security guard looking over your shoulder, "I'm sorry. You're too close. The painting can feel you breathing on it and it doesn't care for that too much. The paintings here, they would prefer not to be breathed on" Community art doesn't care - "come you poor, weak and weary. Sleep on me tonight. Spit and pee on me if you have to, but I'm here and, well, I can't go anywhere"

So Anthony Lister pushed for this. I got to meet Anthony on Friday night. He rents studio space at a place called Juggler's Cafe and Peter Breen was kind enough to show us around. Peter is a guy who, I don't know, just like him a lot. He has a passion for artists and the arts and I just love what he's doing with that. I would encourage you to visit his site. Next year the team hopes to spend some more time with him. The space they have is incredible. Anyway, Anthony was working late, preparing for a show in NYC.

Back to the traffic boxes... I tried to take pictures of every traffic box I could. Tons of local artists attacked these things and made them amazing. I'll also include some other public art I found around.