Often, when explaining the idea of Art in Ad Places to someone unfamiliar, their first question is: “Wait, are there still pay phones in New York City?” And we have to explain that yes, until recently there were thousands, most people just ignore them. They serve no useful purpose, and so they become mostly forgettable.

Continuing our theme of working with some of our heros in the ad takeover community, today we have a truly over-the-top intervention by the legendary Poster Boy. We think folks will notice this pay phone.

Rather than a traditional ad takeover or one of Poster Boy’s trademark examples of détournement, they completely reconfigured and redecorated this booth, giving it a new paint job and decorating swapping out plexiglass for custom paneling. It all screams: PAY ATTENTION, but with messages about love and loss that are much more human that the sort of PAY ATTENTION message that ads send us.

Here’s what Poster Boy has to say about the installation:

“There are a few layers to this piece; evolution of communication, symbology of tech fossils, rhyming colors with phonetics, clever puns, how phone booths were NY’s only public restroom, yada yada yada... however, this is first and foremost for my old friend Alanna Gabin who passed away earlier this year. She was one of the most selfless and genuine people I’ve ever met. I wish I texted her more often. I miss you Alanna... ‘Be here now. Never forget. Live, love, dream & fuck it, do it. Metal & Goth forever.’”