7. Hot Dog Bus

Over the summer Austrian artist Erwin Wurm brought the Hot Dog Bus to Brooklyn Bridge Park and gave out free frankfurters every weekend. Wurm transformed a vintage Volkswagen Microbus into a yellow “overstuffed food truck” that drove around Piers 1 and 5 serving up a summer treat with a message. The hot dog has deep ties to New York and Wurm’s Austrian homeland. The hot dog was a symbol of the Eastern European immigration wave during the 19th century, and is now an iconic food item eaten at American sporting events, barbecues and, of course, on the streets. Wurm took the opportunity to encourage people to think about our habits of overconsumption, because while the bulbous van is cute and whimsical, it points towards a tendency for excess. This project was curated by Public Art Fund’s Associate Curator, Daniel S. Palmer.