Leprechaun gets goosed on a garage roof: Kenny Be's Yard Arteology

Yard Arteology: The study of neighbors through their lawn decorations... By pairing unrelated decorations and placing them on the roof of a garage, the enjoyment -- and certainly the message -- of a yard artist's work will always remain "out of reach" to most viewers. However, the rooftop pairing in...

By Kenny Be

August 17, 2011

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Yard Arteology: The study of neighbors through their lawn decorations... By pairing unrelated decorations and placing them on the roof of a garage, the enjoyment -- and certainly the message -- of a yard artist's work will always remain "out of reach" to most viewers. However, the rooftop pairing in the picture above is a rewarding find for the yard arteologist... On closer inspection, the little green man pictured above reveals that he is actually a small plastic Santa wearing his traditional green Santa suit. (The color of Santa's suit was changed to red by the Coca-Cola Company in 1931.) The little body holds a small lantern as if to aid in the lighting of darkened rooms for the ease of gift giving. A leprechaun hat has been placed on his head as a means to extend his useful life through the spring and into summer.

Traditionally, the leprechaun is a miserly, human-hating trickster with a foot fetish. However, these characteristics are slightly nuanced when the figure is placed near a concrete goose. Placing the goose above the leprechaun and facing the pair away from the home suggests that the yard artist is attempting to reduce these troublesome traits in himself or in members of the household.

Below, the ensemble as seen from the pedestrian's point of view... Apparently, the handy street sign posted to the phone pole in the picture above was placed by Denver's Department of Public Works so pedestrians would know the exact height of the yard art display on this garage rooftop.

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