Rebecca Herman and Mark Shoffner
People Trap No. 1, 2006
McCarren Park, Brooklyn
Willow, wire, and rope
7 ft. height x 32 in. width x 30 in. depth
Click on the pictures
below to see larger views
of People Traps No. 1 and 2
People Trap No. 2, 2006
Platte Clove, Catskill Mtns
Willow, leather, and rope
7 ft. height x 3 ft. diameter

Video, 53 seconds (requires Quicktime player)
May take a minute to download.

More Video: Test Run No. 2

peopletrap_1 peopletrap2_3
peopletrap_3 peopletrap2_1
People Traps are a series of cage-like hanging sculptures made with natural materials and “primitive” construction techniques. Although inspired by animal traps, People Traps are made on a human scale, as if to catch an unwitting pedestrian passing underneath the tree. Hanging over the viewer with a threatening presence, People Traps reflect on humans’ animalistic tendencies and their means of adaptation to challenges in their environments. The outdoor traps, to be installed specifically in parks and in nature, also reference humans’ use of devious means to dominate their surroundings.
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