- Frankly, there would be something weirdly comforting in knowing the authorities have local demons in check.
You’re walking along the streets of your home city, when suddenly you notice a very official-looking sign posted on a utility pole. Reading the message, however, makes you do a double-take.
“Don’t. —Your Local City Council”
Don’t… Don’t what? Don’t walk here? Don’t leave this area?
Many citizens of Christchurch in New Zealand have recently been taken aback by such confusion. Mysterious, ostensibly government-issued signs have left many passersby scratching their heads.
In addition to a message that simply says “Don’t,” the signs have advised people of ongoing but “manageable” hauntings in the area. Another assigned a walking speed limit to a pedestrian street.
Yet, these messages are not from the local government. The absurd notices are the work of artist Cameron Hunt, who placed them as part of a local street art festival.
The signs have caused a stir among locals, with some finding them hilarious and others getting concerned about walking speeding tickets, while others still complain that they might undermine the city government’s authority.
You have to give it to the artist, though. He did a good job, considering the plaques look authentic enough to fool people.
‘Penalties May Apply’
The signs appeared on the streets of Christchurch, in western New Zealand, in early December. There are six of them, and they bear three different messages between them.
One, placed on a popular pedestrian street in the city, advises citizens of a walking speed limit of 2.83 km/h (that is, 1.47 miles per hour). “Enforcement applies,” the sign warns.
Another one simply states: “Don’t. Penalties may apply.”
Finally, we have perhaps the most baffling notice. Located outside the historical, earthquake-damaged Dux de Lux building, it reads: “This area is slightly haunted but manageable. Monitoring active.”
The signs certainly look like authentic city notices, using a typeface familiar to locals in white and green on a black background. Sharp-eyed pedestrians, however, might notice an important detail showing that perhaps the notices are a little tongue-in-cheek.
Instead of the Christchurch City Council, each signboard is accompanied by the seal of Christchurch City Confusion.
Art for the People
Indeed, the local government is not telling people to “don’t.” Instead, the signs were created by artist Cameron Hunt.
He put them up for the Little Street Art Festival that took place in Christchurch in early December. However, he has obviously left the signs up well beyond the art extravaganza.
With the signs, Hunt said he wants to make a bit of fun of how deadly seriously New Zealanders take public signage.
“I like watching people’s reactions,” Hunt admitted to Stuff. “They either laugh straight away, or there’s a bit of confusion.”
The artist explained that he went to great efforts to ensure the signs look authentic with their choice of font and colors.
“The official look is really like part of the setup, because if it didn’t look legit, people would just ignore it instantly,” he said.
“But when you have something that looks official and then says something completely ridiculous or absurd, that’s when you get that punch of confusion with joy.”
The spirit of Monty Python is clearly still strong in New Zealand.
Another reason why he chose to create the signs is his appreciation for how accessible street art is.
“It’s art for the people. You’ve got such a wide audience when you’re not just confined to a little white square gallery,” Hunt said.
High Art, Good Joke, or Infantile Prank?
Hunt’s attention to detail has certainly paid off. Many people have genuinely mistaken the signs for official ones, which has in turn caused laughs and indignation in equal measure.
One user on the online forum platform Reddit posted a picture of the walking speed sign with a message asking if he should worry about getting ticketed. “I’m naturally a fast walker, so a bit concerned,” the person inquired.
Another, who clearly hadn’t paid attention to the signature on the signs, complained about Christchurch City Council wasting public fund on a stupid joke. “Mildly infuriating if you’re a taxpayer over there,” they grumbled.
Others who have been fooled by the signs have questioned whether such pranks could really count as art. And then there are those who find people’s anger and confusion terribly entertaining.
“One of the greatest pieces of guerrilla art I’ve ever seen. The fact that somebody even fell for it just makes it so much better,” an online user gushed.
But what about Christchurch City Council itself? Are the officials upset over an artist making light of their public communications efforts?
Quite the opposite.
“Hunt’s signs are truly delightful. We totally support artists using humor to gently interrupt and engage passersby,” Kiri Jarden, Christchurch principal adviser for community arts, said.
For more questionable art projects, check out this story about a Danish artist who stole thousands of dollars as an “art project.”