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There is time for everything.
- Thomas Edison

 

Power

(Halloween, 2015)

"The measure of a man is what he does with power." -Plato

"Power-lust is a weed that grows only in the vacant lots of an abandoned mind." -Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

"Power to the people, right on!" -John Lennon

Power to Bike Lanes!

"The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any." -Alice Walker

"With great power there must also come great responsibility!" -Stan Lee

"Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac." -Henry Kissinger

Google Omni View

A future Google product

(Halloween, 2014)

Omni View with my favorite Biological Clock

It's kind of like Google Street View, but EVERYWHERE!

As a rumination on where privacy and digital ownership rights are heading in the 21st century, it was interesting to see people's responses ranging from "you can't take a picture of me without my permission!" to "haha, spooky!" to "Woooo, it's Google!" When someone got aggro about violating their privacy, I would typically point out the 5 or 6 six other surveillance cameras in the space that were recording our conversation about privacy.

Once per minute the cameras took a synchronized 360 degree picture.
Which stitched together to make great videos of Omni View's Halloween exploits!

Clone

(Halloween, 2013)

Celebrating the year we cloned human embryos and Banksy did a residency in NYC

Trickle Down Economics

(Halloween, 2011)

After the biggest transfer of wealth from the hands of the poor to the make the filthy rich even filthier (a.k.a. the housing crisis that lead to the financial meltdown of 2008), it was high time to call out the fiction that has misguided our politics for over 30 years. #OccupyWallstreet

Caution and Daring... a Great Union

(Wedding and Halloween, 2009)

 
On September 5th, 2009, Erica & I got hitched. To capture our feelings for each other and about our union, we held a costume wedding in Yachats, Oregon, where all our guests/participants were to come dressed as a Great Union. The expressions of creativity and love were overwhelming. You can see lots more pictures and our vows etc.  on our Greatest of Unions website.

Change... it just makes cents

(Halloween, 2008)

In the midst of the 2008 presidential election and the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression, it was time for Change. With designs outfitted from the Roman Empire, a broom for sweeping change, and a golden parachute on my back, I was set to tackle even the greatest economic challenges (at least those requiring no more than $46.36 in quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies).
 
The best and worst part of Change is that it's constantly changing. Coins were always coming loose from duct tape and glue and clattering down the sidewalk (note the missing coins). After each outing I had to spend some effort to fix it up to its intended glory. Turns out Change is not something you can vote for once in a spirited moment and walk away from, but something that you have to nurture and constantly maintain lest all the promises of "Change we can believe in" will fall to pieces before your very eyes.
Friends heading to Decom.

The Contradiction of the Flesh.

(Halloween, 2007)

The heart beats with my EKG. The crown is made from razor wire and el-wire.

The Devil's Weed

(Halloween, 2006)

  For Halloween 2006, I dressed up as a giant marijuana cigarette and called myself "The Devil's Weed". Below you can see the Satanic den of self-reflection that lies behind the gateway of The Devil's Weed. Most people got the irony. Some percentage said something like "Weed's cool man, why you gotta be such a downer". A LOT of people saw the pot leaf and wanted their picture with it, regardless of whether they know what the word irony means. If I had a dollar for every picture... Anyway, I made it onto the NYC NBC News!
UPDATE: The above logos are now available on t-shirts, stickers, temporary tattoos and refrigerator magnets.
I spent most of my time handing out pamphlets and spouting the eloquent rhetoric of Harry J. Anslinger posted below.

Po' Green Trash of the Trailer-Ship Galaxy

(Splashdown, 2006)

Most humans have a misconceived notion of aliens as having go-getter, Type A personalities, that comb the far reaches of the universe for resources and alternative life forms. But, the vast majority of aliens are a much more modest crowd that appreciate the finer points of life, like NASSHIP races, beer and grilled meat. Conceived for the Burning Man Splashdown at Love in NYC, September, 2006. We showed up 15 min after the costume contest ended, but the organizer saw us before announcing the winner and immediately awarded us the best costume and a $100 gift certificate to a costume shop. It's tough to see in the picture because of the flash, but our finger tips glowed red. Below is a sketch of our yet unmade flag for the flag planting ceremony.

Lake of Fire and Brimstone

(One Night of Fire, 2006)

How will You be Judged when you gaze into your reflection in The Lake of Fire and Brimstone? Will you see the longing of your misspent youth? Will you be consumed by the trappings of your own vanity? Will you see nothing but the empty hollows of your soul?
Originally conceived for June 6, 2006, but after significant searching, the only really promising venues were in LA (come on NYC! this happens once a millenium and could have been the Day of Doom!!). Found a good event later in the summer at One Night of Fire. Some good photos of the event on flickr.

Merman

(Mermaid Parade, 2006)

My costume for the Coney Island Mermaid Parade 2006. The above picture was taken by Luke Ratray.

Where is the G-spot?

a.k.a. the Greatly Guarded Gem of the Genital Geography

(G-party, 2005)

Created for the G-party (summer 2005). Includes a fun party game, "Pin the Penis on the G-spot" (pink velcro penises included). Seen here at the PS1 summer warm-up concert series

 

Do you work for a drug, supplement or contraceptive company? Spur-M, Viagra, Trojan, Horny Goat Weed? How much is advertising space on the G-spot worth to your company? Reach out to party-goers looking to improve their performance. Establish name recognition and PR with the next generation. Penis shaped hand-outs with your company logo/info.

Hummer-Penis

(Halloween, 2004)

How big is your vehicle? Halloween 2004 was the year of the 7' hummer-penis. It shoots silly string out the tip and has a blaring horn (and an obnoxious driver). Somewhere in the world there is a movie of me leaving a Critical Mass party that the cops raided (out of spite) and this NYC cop yelling "Get the hummer guy!" If you have this movie please contact me. The hummer guy made a second appearance at a peace rally (how big is your peace?) in Spring 2006 where he shook hands with Reverend Al Sharpton (anybody have a picture of this?).

Gandalf the Gray

(Halloween, 2003)

Below Gandalf can be seen riding the PATH train into NYC. You can see a movie of Gandalf casting a spell here.

The reactions in New Jersey were kind of varied, from "Yeah, father time!" to "Merlin, right?" and "Moses!", but the strangest was a guy in Newark that leaned out of his car window and yelled "Hey, you wanna gimme a blow job, you creature!"

 

Hoisted Burden

(Reed Thesis Parade, 1999)

The 1998-99 academic year was my senior year, and thus my year to bear the thesis.  Here I am carrying my Burden past the piles of burning theses to make my offering to the Hauser gods so that I may make my ascent.  After the turbulent ascent I mingle with my thesis advisor Dell, who inspects my bedraggled attire.
 

Butt-Rocker

(Halloween, 1998)

This is my "butt-rocker" costume from Halloween '98.   I was going for the trailer park living, Coors Light drinking, Marlboro smoking, Payless shopping, mullet sporting, ripped acid-washed jeans wearing, fake Oakley owning, "Free Bird" shouting, AC-DC concert going, stuck in the mid-80's white trash look.  I knew what this looked like because I had butt-rocker tendencies in my earlier youth.  The most glorious moment in the costume was early in the day on Halloween when I was shopping for a skull earring to put on the final touch on the costume.  In the process of picking out an earring, I revealed to the clerk that it was indeed a costume.  As I was walking out of the store I heard the clerk whisper to a customer, "It's a costume," at which time the customer let out an audible sigh of relief.  I won a $15 gift certificate to Powell's book store in a costume contest.
(The hair isn't real)

 
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