The Last Billboard was a public art billboard curated by Jon Rubin in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Located at the intersection of Highland Avenue and Baum Boulevard in the East Liberty neighborhood, above what was originally the building for Waffle Shop: A Reality Show—a restaurant that was also conceptualized by Rubin—the art piece consisted of a 12-feet-by-36-feet steel frame billboard on which letters were arranged by hand. Each month, different artists were solicited to place a message on the billboard.
Schedule of guest artists
2013 Months Artist Message January Packard Jennings these words hold / no power over you March Michael Crowe intellect versus emotion / intellect wins / emotion starts crying May Anthony Discenza think game of thrones / meets okcupid meets car / talk meets gertrude stein / meet duran duran June Maude Liotta questions for my new blog: / who invented tape, / how were feelings discovered, / when did "skinny" become / fashionable. July Nina Katchadourianthe person standing / beside you, pointing at this / billboard, has brought you / here because it was too hard / to say "I am sorry" out loud. August Marc Horowitz? / (323) 541 6361 November Joshua Beckmanpoem 206 427 7792
2014 Months Author Message January Matt Shain photo / food / beauty / liquor / rx April Charlie Humphrey i wonder some days / if facebook isn't a broad / all encompassing / cry for help May Adam Frelin let's put loudspeakers / on the roofs of hospitals // let's announce births / and deaths as they occur June Lenka Claytonthink about / all the hours / forgotten plays / were rehearsed September The Janks Archive you're so ugly that / you should be in a / museum of modern art December Jason FulfordS A T O R / A R E P O / T E N E T / O P E R A / R O T A
2015
MonthsArtistMessageJanuary - MarchKim Becktoday only / last chance! final day! / nothing held back / closing forever! AprilSarah Keelingford & daughter / used tires / 704-370-3793 (varied by day)MayPablo Helgueraanulala a la lunaJuneMilena Bonillathe whole town's sleepingJulyPaul Ramirez Jonasa i a / sky you sea / cloud crowd brook / hilltop company rivulet / highpoint multitude tributaryAugustTaylor Shieldsspry texts keep ducking up / ducking / duck / duck / nevermindOctoberJonn Herschendclose your eyes / and imagine that / i'm dancing so crazy fast
2016
MonthsArtistMessageFebruaryJim Christensenanything / but / this AprilLenka Claytontragically, / the world's oldest person / keeps dying.JuneJohn Riegertjust saw a hipster with / big headphones on top of / a knit cap, wearing a coat / i had worn for 20 years / and gave to goodwill.JulyDavid Horvitzrachel carson / is my heroOctoberMicah Lexiera. f. k. / b. g. / c. h. / d. i. / e. j.AugustNeil Farber and Michael Dumontieryou don't have to / open every door. / a door labelled hell, / for instance.
2017
MonthsArtistMessageMarchJon Rubina man whose daily work / is rewriting history / tries to rebel / by falling in love MayEric Gottesmando not react to this.JuneJoseph Del Pescoyou don't need a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows (following Part 1, a poem from Eugen Gomringer's book CONSTELLATIONS)JulyTamara Shopsina tow truck / pulling / an ambulanceSeptemberBrett Yasko. / . / . . / . / . . / . / . / .NovemberLaure Prouvostideally everything / will turn quiet / now
2018
MonthsArtistMessageMarchAlisha Wormsleythere / are / black people / in the / future
Controversy In March 2018, The Last Billboard's landlord, We Do Property, in response to complaints from community members who felt the sign was racist, removed Alisha Wormsley's text from the billboard. Jon Rubin, the billboard's founder and creator, responded in a statement in response to the removal:
A public panel discussion about the text and its removal was hosted by the Kelly Strayhorn Theater in April or May 2018.
In April of 2018, The Last Billboard was removed.
Early billboard messages From mid-2009 to late 2012, while Waffle Shop was still operating, the billboard included content proposed and submitted by artists and regular people. Unlike the version of the billboard from 2013 onward, this early version switched out messages several times a month. Below is an in-depth, but not comprehensive, list of those messages.thewaffleshop. "Billboard," Flickr. Online Album. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
2009 MonthsContributorMessageMayLenka Claytonnumber of people who have / looked at this sign: / 55 (as it suggest, the number was updated manually when people looked at it)
2010 MonthsContributorMessageFebruaryAnonymouscommunity amateur radio / all weekend long / in our bathroom / inquire within / kf7nseAprilAnonymous ten-year-old boypeople think i'm a ghost. / i don't know, it's really / hard to tell. i'm kind of / like a ghost, and i might be invisible.JulyT. Foleythe airspace is public / property for the purposes / of sonic transmission.JulyWaffle Shopthings we need at the waffle shop / 1. a beautiful leafy plant / 2. three talk show hosts / 3. $75,000 / 4. a few 60 watt lightbulbsAugustWaffle Shopthings we need at the waffle shop / 1. a mostly leafy plant! / 2. one talk show host / $71,743 / 4. a new tv show ideaOctoberWaffle Shopthings we need at waffle shop / 1. a magician / 2. one talk show host / 3. animal masks / 4. a zookeeper
2011 MonthsContributorMessageMarchSteve Lambertit's time to fight! / and / it's time to stop fighting!MarchAnonymousis night worth preserving / or is it too much to ask / a void to fill a light / let the vacuum of / a lightbulb answerMayAnonymousglobal vegan waffle party / be kind / be healthy / redd up our planet n'atJuneAnonymouscapitalism / is / over! // if you want itJuneAnonymoustell me who / your friend is / and i can tell you who / you are not! / ferhat ozgurJulyAnonymousi was hoping / you might be interested, / but didn't know how to ask.JulyAnonymousbring home the / international / space stationAugustAnthony Discenzawe've tried everythingAugustAnonymousbecause we are / playthings of the gods, / playing is the most serious / of our activitiesSeptemberAnonymousyou may leave the 'burgh / but the 'burgh will never / leave you. / farewell justin & kristy!NovemberBlack Male Leadership Development Institute (BMLDI)attention boosters! / athletes are paid to play / but will you pay academics / to learnNovemberAnonymouspokarekare ana / nga wai o waiapu, / whiti atu koe hine / marino ana e. (lyrics from "Pokarekare Ana", a traditional New Zealand love song)NovemberAnonymousempty every night.DecemberAnonymousfacebook / hides in plain sight / nick yetsco state, / you cannot understand / unless you are in spy club.DecemberAnonymousshatter the chariots of kings
2012 MonthsContributorMessageJanuaryAnonymouscapturing adolf eichmann / is one thing. / freeing people's minds / so there are no more like / him is quite anotherFebruaryAnonymouscontendo ad astraFebruaryAnonymousgrow wilderMarchKari Marboei love you is such an / enormous gift that i need / to house it here for a / week so that we can / use the apartment.AprilLautanenfate / (making connections / where there are / no connections) / you are mineAprilAnonymous"like a tragic comedy, the u.s. / gov's actions have actually / helped the iranian gov / hurt the people of iran" / iranian americanMayAnonymouslove come / save me / may 28 2011MayAnonymouswe offer / complete detachment / from all your / material needsAnonymousnature will regulate us.
References
External links Official homepage