StreetRover
StreetRover creates clean text and spotless images. This computer-controlled high-pressure cleaner writes and draws on the street by purposefully and precisely removing the dirt from paving stones or asphalt. The drawings or texts that appear through this process will eventually disappear again as, over time, a new layer of muckiness forms on the street.
The cleaner’s spray head is guided by a number of motors which are in turn controlled by a computer. An operator can add to the machine’s creations using a hand-held high-pressure cleaner: this person can "edit" the texts or enhance the drawings. StreetRover easily adapts to its surroundings: its message can be tailored to any location or occasion.
In his work, Gijs van Bon explores the way in which images and texts take shape in public space, examining their content as well as formal and contextual qualities. In the case of StreetRover, the street-specific content "happens" during the performance of drawing and writing. Yet, the clean slate left in StreetRover’s wake and the memory that lingers after the event can still be seen and experienced weeks later.
