New York City is the only city I've lived in where the garbage is just put right on the street. When I lived in San Francisco, the garbage men pulled the discreet truck in and carted away our cast offs. In DC, the basement was neatly organized with the weeks' waste which was conveniently hauled off every Tuesday. But in New York, there's no hiding. The dump that is the sidewalk outside my crowded apartment building bi-weekly becomes a seething bevy of unwanted garbage, paper, plastic, and sometimes…..FURNITURE.
would you take it home?
To answer these questions, they embedded GPS tracking devices on the chair and set up hidden cameras around each drop-off location. Then they waited and watched.
In one Brooklyn neighborhood, the chair lasted a mere ten seconds. But surprisingly in other areas, many people walked by without giving the chair a second thought. Others stopped and inspected it, but continued on their way. In Chinatown, the chair sat there for an hour and a half.
look good in your Living Room?
The chairs eventually went to 25 different homes and Blu Dot followed up with each new owner to find out what happened for their mini documentary. I laughed my way through the eight-minute video, admittedly embarrassed recalling the many times I've pondered such a heist – "is it a real Eames?" "OK, it's Knoll, so would it be worth it to reupholster?". It's he best PR stunt I've seen in years; and one I'm sure every New Yorker can relate to!