Street signs that reflect reality A series of fake place names created by an artist have been left untouched

ACCORDING TO EL PAIS EN INGLÉS,

If you took a quick glance at the

sign in Cabeza street you would

be forgiven for not realizing that it

is unofficial. It is made with the

same tile and the same font as the

other place names that are so prevalent in the old part ofMadrid. But

this one is different. Instead of the

usual illustration, usually alluding

to the history of the street in question, there is an image that reflects a regular Lavapiés street,

with a rundown building facade,

cables hanging loose, damp patches and a STOP sign covered with

stickers advertising rooms to rent

for ¤200. In fact, it’s a drawing of

the very street corner where the

sign is located.

“I wanted to reflect the reality

using a very common element as

a way of drawing attention to the

actual state of the neighborhood,”

explains Diana Larrea, who is behind this urban intervention. “But

they are very well disguised, and

not a lot of people even notice

them.”

The project is called Calles distinguidas (Distinguished streets,

www.dianalarrea.com), and won

a competition run by the Associated Visual Artists of Madrid

(AVAM), which received sponsorship from the regional government

Read more in El Pais en ingles, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2011. Link on the right side.