USA: Artists bring new meaning to street art by decorating dog poop

In New York City, three masked men have taken urban beautification to a new level. Outfitted with dog masks and a bag of art supplies, the 'Sprinkle Brigade,' searches out abandoned dog poop and transforms it into miniature works of art. The men, who prefer to remain anonymous and go by the names of 'Number One,' 'Number Two' and 'Number Three,' scour the sidewalks of the city in search of freshly made piles of poop. When they find one of particular interest, they add various objects in, around, and on the poop to create their art. One recent excursion provided a sample stool perfect for the Brigade's ranch-theme, with several miniature plastic horses surrounding a large pile of dung. Following completion, the Brigade snaps a photo of their artistic masterpiece which they publish on their website, www.SprinkleBrigade.com. The inspiration for 'The Sprinkle Brigade' first came about as a way to prevent people from stepping in the piles of dog poop that often litter the New York City sidewalks. But with some creative thinking and encouragement from fans, their poop decorations have become increasingly elaborate. "We just thought, let's have some fun with it and make people laugh. So we just basically walked around the street and put some rainbow sprinkles from ice cream cones on the top of the poo, and it worked and people paid attention to it. Now it's become a game of how far can we go to decorate poo," said 'Number Three.' In addition to the intricate works, the Brigade often uses their simple sprinkling technique to colorise and decorate the poop; they have the technique down to an almost factory-like precision. One person sprays a light adhesive, and the others follow with shakers of multicoloured cake sprinkles. In an instant, piles of grey-brown faeces look like they were painted by a kindergartener. "We try to match up the idea to the finding, so to speak. Not all ideas are right for every poo we find, so we keep a running roster of things and we go out and just try and be inspirational, like Rembrandt. Just be inspired," said 'Number Three.' It is illegal in New York City to not pick up after a pet, however some risk the chance of fines, leaving creative inspiration for the Sprinkle Brigade and their motto, "Just Leave It. We Got It." So what do New Yorkers think about the Brigade's creative process? Many act disgusted at first, but then seem to have a good laugh. "I think it's great that people draw attention to things like that, so we can make it prominent. We can be like Paris, dog poop everywhere. But this way, it's decorated," said Liz Brodsky. Her husband Art Brodsky agreed, but had some advice for the Brigade. He said, "It's fine to make it art, but then do the good thing and get rid of it." According to The Sprinkle Brigade members, the group is currently in the process of publishing a book featuring some of their best work. But whether decorating dog poop makes you laugh or makes you sick to your stomach, one thing is certain: this art stinks.

ITN Source | January 5, 2007

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