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Crime Or Art? Someone Is Turning NYC Trash Cans Into Giant Vases Filled With Flowers
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Crime Or Art? Someone Is Turning NYC Trash Cans Into Giant Vases Filled With Flowers

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New York City-based floral designer Lewis Miller is on a mission to create an emotional response in a gloomy metropolis, and he uses flowers to achieve it.

Mysterious flower arrangements have been appearing all over Manhattan during the last couple of months. Sidewalks, trash cans, statues and public plazas are the main targets of this guerrilla campaign. “Gifting flowers to New Yorkers is a simple idea that I have been thinking about for years,” Lewis writes on his website. “[I] hoped for smiles, the ones that happen when you witness a random act of kindness. That was my goal, my vision. Create an emotional response through flowers.”

The series is called Flower Flashes. Each installation has a different vibe. “Our Alice in Wonderland installation was romantic, feminine and whimsical,” Miller told NBC New York. “Our trash can flashes are edgier and ephemeral.” The bouquets also vary in scale. The largest ones consist of thousands of flowers like roses, dahlias, and orchids, and, if produced for a client at Miller’s firm, could cost upwards of $10,000.

“We try and use flowers from a previous event when we can. And by doing so, we give the flowers a second life.” The florist says he plants to continue the flower flashes and putting smiles on peoples’ faces.

More info: lewismillerdesign.com | Instagram (h/t: mmm)

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The guerrilla flower designer also targeted statues, sidewalks, plazas, and other objects

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Rokas Laurinavičius

Rokas Laurinavičius

Author, BoredPanda staff

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Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.

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Rokas Laurinavičius

Rokas Laurinavičius

Author, BoredPanda staff

Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.

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John L
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That all looks wonderful! Somehow I think he does best when he places them around statues, sidewalks, plazas, and other objects, because the trash containers can still be used for trash, instead of on the sidewalk. Kudos to his effort. :D

Daria B
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I agree. Blocking the availability of trash cans with flowers will not help keeping the streets tidy and clean - at the opposite! Thus making this act as the most beautiful form of vandalism. (Hah! I'm so proud for comming up with that phrase. ♥)

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Elina Kuusisto
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I get the point about the cans not being available, but people could also walk just a little further and find another one. Personal responsibility is still a thing, you shouldn't just think you can put your trash on the ground when you can't instantly find a garbage can.

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John L
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That all looks wonderful! Somehow I think he does best when he places them around statues, sidewalks, plazas, and other objects, because the trash containers can still be used for trash, instead of on the sidewalk. Kudos to his effort. :D

Daria B
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I agree. Blocking the availability of trash cans with flowers will not help keeping the streets tidy and clean - at the opposite! Thus making this act as the most beautiful form of vandalism. (Hah! I'm so proud for comming up with that phrase. ♥)

Load More Replies...
Elina Kuusisto
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I get the point about the cans not being available, but people could also walk just a little further and find another one. Personal responsibility is still a thing, you shouldn't just think you can put your trash on the ground when you can't instantly find a garbage can.

Load More Comments
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