For years, hilarious and bizarre flyers have popped up around Vancouver bringing delight and confusion to many. Now the creator of these real-world memes are poised to make a more commercial and public go of the comedic art world.
The one making the posts to Physical Memes’ Instagram page, who we’re calling PM at their request, runs the account with a partner in Toronto. Together they have been designing flyers that turn heads in their appearance and are ridiculously absurd in their content. Aside from the Physical Memes’ Instagram handle, each flyer is totally unique allowing the creators to take on the persona of some of the most cringeworthy characters ever dreamt of.
PM’s latest work includes a man fully addicted to munching on Styrofoam and desperately seeking help for it. Another is a public invitation to watch an Adonis-like couple make the world’s strongest baby live on stage (beware the splash zone). Other flyers come with more 3D elements like an onion trading post created by some truly serious onion lovers or a man simply wanting someone to eat frozen yogurt with him -- used spoons provided as proof of intent.
If any of this is sounding familiar, Vancouver Is Awesome actually covered the work of Physical Memes last year after a flyer sarcastically advertised a no-mask beach party. At the time PM explained they aimed to gently disrupt the online environments overrun with manipulative marketing techniques designed to extract money, time, and attention.
A year later PM is still at it and while they don’t plan to stop creating the flyers there are bigger projects in the works.
"The classic flyers I think will always be a staple," PM said reassuringly. "It gets to a point when you've done that sort of medium and it gets more difficult to surprise yourself or the audience.”
With that in mind, the bigger project PM is most excited about is a public exhibition of Physical Memes’ work at Milano Coffee shop at Denman and Haro coming this Oct 5 to Nov. 5.
Also coming soon for Physical Meme fans is branded merchandise including apparel, prints, and even NFTs.
For an admittedly silly hobby, PM is thrilled at the idea of the page and its fans making it possible to work as a blue-collar artist.
"Being creative and sharing stuff comedically that makes people laugh has always been a dream in the back of my mind and it's fun that it's potentially becoming a reality, even if it's just a part-time sort of thing," PM said.
Over the years PM has been able to do something he recommends everyone try out once in a while, exploring the bizarre.
"I think exploring your darker, weirder, side isn't something we should shy away from," PM said. "I do it because it's fun, an exploration of the lack of self-awareness cringe moments, the weirdness we all share."
