If the work of street artist Tom Bob doesn’t bring a smile to your face today, we’re not sure what will. The artist takes mundane street furniture like manhole covers, electric meters, pipes, bike racks and transforms them into cartoon-based creations. New Yorkers may be most familiar with the manhole cover turned into frying pan with sunny side up eggs, but Tom Bob’s body of work is, in many ways, much more elaborate and of a larger breadth that the one piece may suggest.
Here is a photo compilation of some of his works – many were done in New York City, where the artist is based, but also in Boston, New Bedford, Massachusetts and other cities. He is also done more formal works on Randall’s Island at the Governor Ball and sometimes hacks street signs, much like the French artist Clet.
Michelle is the founder of Untapped New York and the author of The Art Spy (HarperOne, forthcoming) Secret Brooklyn, Secret New York Hidden Bars & Restaurants, and Broadway. michelleyoungwriter.com
