Riot
Public Space Frankfurt am Main, Gemany 1999

For the last two months, an anonymous group of young
artists have been manipulating company logos on
skyscrapers around Frankfurt. First the DG Bank sign
was transformed into the legendary Pacman Icon. With
the simple addition of a black spot. Next the illuminated
type on top of the Marriott Hotel was reduced to a more
profane “riot”.
Both deeds were planned for weeks: the working hours
of security guards were observed, staircases watched a
dry run undertaken. The artists´ preparation included
crash courses in wall-climbing and esoteric research on
subjects such as the exact size of the Pacman dot.
Nothing was damaged, nobody hurt and the companies
indifferent: both removed the manipulations discreetly
without further consequences. But while it took the DG
Bank two weeks to react, with the altered display clearly
visible in the centre of the city, the hotel management
didn´ t wait that long. “Riot” had been shining into the
New Year´ s night at a time when all the bank buildings
nearby were decorated with spectacular light shows to
welcome the Euro.

Martin Pesch