shadow man

For the past year or so, someone in our neighborhood has been tracing shadows with chalk on the sidewalk; it’s a simple and beautiful thing. The subjects are consistent: trees, parking meters and bicycles, but each tracing always feels different. The chalk is white and the work is either done late in the day (for longer shadows) or at night (using street lamps). I have a lot of respect for people who can create anonymously. It’s the plateau that all artists, musicians, writers, etc. should strive for, really – to be able to make art without the need for external approval. Mind you I say this as a confessed praise junkie. If It were me doing the chalk tracings I’d have to write the link to my website next to every one.

Anyways, I always wondered who this artist was and what the process involved. Last week I found out. Sitting by the window at the new, more spacious, but still fantastic Zombie Hut, having a few drinks with friends, a guy on a bike wearing surgical gloves stopped right in front of us and began tracing a parking meter and its two guard posts. The entire process took about a minute, but it was fascinating. He apparently knew some people there, so he briefly chatted with a couple of smokers outside before hopping back on his bike, presumably to go trace some more, leaving his work behind.