Donna Terek goes behind the pigeons and gas masks to show the faces of Steve and Dorota Coy, the married duo and street art stars of Hygienic Dress League. Working with permission from building owners (not exactly a guerilla operation), their ethos of artwork posing as advertising creates curiosity where consumerism is expected. "No Vacancy," an ambitious neon sign they plan to unveil Saturday on Corktown's Roosevelt Hotel (with the help of $5,000 in Kickstarter contributions), argues against the building's state of disuse with designs of glowing pigeons -- the Roosevelt's current tenants, so to speak.
Excerpt:
Much
of the Coys' work is built around two figures who are executives in the
Hygienic Dress League, a fictitious company that — underscoring the
Coys' ambivalent relationship with reality — is nonetheless registered
as a corporation in Michigan. The two purposefully build mystery and
tension into their projects, hoping Detroiters will be on the lookout
for their next message.
Watch this video on the gas-masked duo behind Hygienic Dress League
here.
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