@obviousplant
From the net to your hood, he’s got you covered. Banners, signs, posters, toys…you name it. Yes he makes them for the internet, but they also live in the real world bridging a gap between web art and street art.
What is your name and where do you live?
Jeff Wysaski. I live in Los Angeles.
What is the first brochure, sign, product that you ever made and put out in the real world?
I did a few street flyers before Obvious Plant had a name. However, this is the first official sign for the project: http://obviousplant.com/post/108006870853/i-added-some-rules-to-the-park-by-my-house
Is it liberating to see your work in public in the real world as opposed to a meme on the net?
Yeah, it is. The overall goal of Obvious Plant is to make the world more weird. My intention is to insert an unexpected dose of unusualness into someone's otherwise mundane day. Knowing that my items are being encountered in the real world makes it a bit more impactful than if it were to simply live on the Internet.
““My intention is to insert an unexpected dose of unusualness into someone’s otherwise mundane day.””
Where do you put your brochures, signs, etc? Do you change it up or have your special spots? Do they get taken down quickly?
The placement depends on the content of the particular piece. Oftentimes, I create an item, and then search for a place that is relevant for it in the real world. In general, my items are placed near my home in Los Angeles. I've put several things in the grocery store by my house. I'm sure they hate me by now! However, I try to space out items so I'm not hitting the same locations over and over again.
There is a certain storefront window that I have started frequenting. It is where I place my general street pedestrian type signs. The reason I keep going back is because they aren't removed as quickly - I think one from a few weeks ago is still there. Most things get taken down pretty quickly, but I have been quite pleased to see some last for months. I placed a "now hiring" sign in a Best Buy and it was there FOREVER. It was the first thing you saw when you walked into the store.
““The idea of the Internet bleeding out into the real world was inspiring to me. “”
What made you start doing this kind of art?
I've been doing Web comedy for a long time. I got bored with making web comics and doing traditional Internet-style comedy. I had done a few street signs, and realized I really liked bringing my jokes off the computer screen and into my neighborhood. The idea of the Internet bleeding out into the real world was inspiring to me. Signs and products as a medium is also fairly uncharted territory - so it was nice to be able to make that medium my own.
Where did you get your sense of humor?
A mysterious goat gifted it to me when I was 12.
What is your dream job?
This is it! I'm fortunate enough to have made Obvious Plant my career. I would like to continue evolving what I do and working with more people so that I can do larger projects and make more things. I have some dream projects that will hopefully come to fruition soon.
Tell us something about you in 10 words or less:
I am goat.
““I placed a “now hiring” sign in a Best Buy and it was there FOREVER. It was the first thing you saw when you walked into the store.””
Images courtesy of JEFF WYSASKI
interview ASHLEY MUNNS
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