Damon Belanger, a graphic artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area, created a public art installation called “Fake Shadows” in Redwood City, California, USA. Funded by the Redwood City Public Art Program, this unique and playful street art project was realized in 2016.
Belanger’s “Fake Shadows” are a delightful interplay of reality and illusion. The artist added painted false shadows to common street objects, such as bike racks, benches, mailboxes, and even a manhole cover, turning them into whimsical creatures and objects. For example, a parking meter’s shadow becomes a monkey’s tail, a mailbox casts the shadow of a dragon, and a bike rack’s shadow transforms into a monkey on a tree.
Belanger’s art project not only gives new life and charm to otherwise ordinary city fixtures but also invites passersby to engage with their surroundings in unexpected ways. His work is a delightful reminder that creativity and imagination can lurk in the most commonplace sights.
Belanger painted about 20 of these unique and captivating “Fake Shadows” around downtown Redwood City, sparking interest and conversation. These creative and imaginative additions to the cityscape serve as an interactive form of street art that engages residents and visitors alike, inviting them to see the urban environment from a different, more playful perspective.
If you’ve had the chance to see Damon Belanger’s “Fake Shadows” in person, why not share your experience or better still, your photos in our Facebook group Your Street Art Utopia? We’d love to see this whimsical art through your eyes.
For more on Damon Belanger and his work, visit his website.
On your next urban adventure, remember this: street art is not only about murals on walls or graffiti tags. It’s an ever-evolving form of self-expression that can turn even a simple street fixture into a source of surprise and joy. So, keep your eyes open – the next creative twist could be just around the corner!
