Street art to Dr. Anthony Fauci is popping up in New York City and Los Angeles. #FauciArt is a movement started by the California-based advertising agency, Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners (BSSP) first as an internal company initiative that picked up steam nationally under the hashtag #FauciArt where you can see a variety of submitted artwork.The billboard activation is timely, with Fauci coming under attack by the White House, including a cartoon released on Sunday by White House social media director showing Fauci as “Dr. Faucet” putting down things like the NFL season and school openings down the drain.
Photo by Billups, Becker and iKahan
Now, Billups, the advertising technology company has donated billboards to the #FauciArt project in Soho, Midtown Manhattan, and in Los Angeles near major freeways like the 710 and 1-10. So far, artwork from BSSP’s Senior Art Director Alfonso Ruiz and Kelly Bernard have appeared. One has the hashtag #FauciArt and another features Fauci wearing a mask with the words “ANTIDOTE.”
Photo by Billups, Becker and iKahan
Photo by Billups, Becker and iKahan
According to BSSP, the agency “is hoping this [out-of-home] extension will further build the visibility around the initiative and Dr. Fauci himself. Ultimately, the agency’s goal is to continue inspiring creativity and art — people have taken time the last few months to be still and expand their interests in art, that’s something BSSP hopes extends beyond the pandemic.”
The top billboard can be found in Soho on Prince Street and West Broadway. Another #FauciArt billboard can be found on 31st Street just off Broadway.
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
