It Feels Good to be a Gangsta in Indianapolis

I decided to hang the Retired Gangsta Chairs from Los Angeles along the Indianapolis Canal. Though this area is decidedly not “gangsta”, it is one of the best used public spaces in the city. I taped the picture on a brick wall along stairs leading from the street to the canal, along with a pen to inspire commentary.

I began walking along the canal, bopping to the tune of “Damn, It Feels Good to be a Gangsta” in my head since I felt inspired by the chairs. I dumped the tube that carried the poster in the one trash receptacle I spotted. When I circled back to the site about forty-five minutes later, I looked over and did not see the poster!!!

At first I thought I must have forgotten where I hung the picture, but as I got closer I realized it was truly gone. There was no trace of it anywhere. No tape, no paper, no pen, nothing. It was just gone. I couldn’t decide if canal patrol had come by and decided to strip the wall, or if someone had wanted this work of found art for their personal collection.

I walked along the canal, passing a lovely mural, and circled back to the only garbage can I had seen in the vicinity earlier. I saw my trashed carrying tube, but no poster!

Since I never found any evidence of the poster remains, I think someone decided to unretire from gangsta-dom and take the poster for themselves. I hope they will pay the idiosyncratic beauty of the retired gangsta chairs forward in their own way.

This post is part of the International Street Chair Pop-Up Show.

Photos and post by Nikita Barai