Oh my goodness, a Super Mario fire hydrant! Hi-lar-ious!
Yeah, well, it’s summer, and we feel draggy and not capable of much today except looking at lots of silly pictures on the internet. But fire hydrants do seem thematically appropriate for a lazy August day. Kids are probably playing around in one somewhere nearby, given the roasting weather here in New York.
They’re also just pleasantly iconic objects and fun to look at. We were reminded of that recently when our friends over at Urban Omnibus did a wonderful treatment on them, pointing out that an open hydrant spills as much water in 7 minutes as an average human drinks in a lifetime. (We’re hanging onto that little factoid for the next time we find ourselves in a conversational lull at a party.)
Actually, some of these treatments could be considered “street art,” which our high-minded friends tell us is dignified and high-minded stuff. Not the Mario hydrant, perhaps–but it’s still our favorite.
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In Cleveland sometimes they encourage painting fire hydrants. [Via]
Have you ever seen a leering street fixture before? [via]
This little guy’s just excited to be a hydrant. [via]
In case you hadn’t heard, the world’s second largest fire hydrant–that would be in Beaumont, Texas–is painted like a cow. [via]
Officer Hydrant is always on duty. [via]
This shot is called “Under the Weather.” [via]
Chalked-in shadows in NYC’s West Village. [via]
What strange things lurk…
We just love this picture. [Julianne Tang Photography]
What, you didn’t know dragons wear big red hats? [via]
Okay, this a sculpture made of groceries, not a defacement. Who cares, though -- right? [via]
This bit of artistry–perhaps more disturbing than amusing–can be found in the global hipster mecca of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. [Via this site, which offers a self-guided tour of NYC graffiti]
It’s like a law of Nature: Oscar the Grouch is always amusing. [via]
A fire hydrant that’s simply too terrifying to deface… [via]
Oh, the irony.
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ALSO CHECK OUT ON INFRASTRUCTURIST:
HA! AMUSINGLY DEFACED STREET SIGNS
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CELL PHONE TOWERS PRETENDING TO BE TREES
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Beyond the Cloverleaf: A Field Guide To Crazy Highway Interchanges
August 26th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Quick quiz for fellow infrastructure fans:
Without looking, how many sides does a fire hydrant bolt have?
August 26th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
6
August 26th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Love the shadows!
August 27th, 2009 at 2:42 am
[...] Linkempfehlung des Tages: Kunst am Hydranten. Sind wirklich gute und lustige Dinger dabei. Kategorie: KurznachrichtenTags: Hydrant, [...]
August 27th, 2009 at 5:40 am
It’s the valve stems and covers that have five (5) sides. Hence the special wrench carried on fire trucks for opening them. Of course, if you have a chain wrench that will do the job just as well.
August 27th, 2009 at 7:45 am
Actually, the town I grew up in had a contest, where residents could adopt a fire hydrant and paint it. The best painted hydrant got some kind of prize I don’t remember. If you adopted the hydrant, it was your job to make sure it was accessible by the Fire Department like clearing snow out from around it, and making sure the covers were on, but could come off. Adopters who properly maintained their hydrants would get a tax break on their property tax. Pretty cool idea, I think.
August 27th, 2009 at 9:55 am
RE: Big-ass fire hydrants - Is it really a fire hydrant if it doesn’t operate as a valve.
August 27th, 2009 at 11:23 am
I think the flaming fire hydrant is my favorite.
August 31st, 2009 at 11:13 am
I like Officer Hydrant. Do you happen to know where the one in Cleveland is located?
November 1st, 2009 at 3:07 pm
[...] a look here for some very cool painted [...]