"I moved to New York from the South for grad school at SVA in the early 90's. In an otherwise bleak/frightening/filthy/rat-infested neighborhood, I found humor and relief in these unlikely sources. They were clean, colorful and personality-enriched, which in turn helped to make New York more penetrable, engaging and doable. The focus on these omnipresent objects has endured as a symbol of finding beauty in the still life of the streets."