The New York First Company - Impeccable Gifts and Unique Wonders

We often do not consider certain mundane objects to be art simply because they are so familiar. If we were to step back and observe the craftsmanship involved in making these objects, art will be revealed. To most of us the lowly manhole is just something we drive or walk over, a circular doorway into a mysterious underground world. But to urban artist Paul Goguen, the manhole becomes his canvas, as he captures an overlooked piece of public art.

You could call him the “Manhole Man.” His work is a convergence of metallurgy, history, and art displayed onto the canvas. While most cities across America simply have utilitarian discs of iron covering their subterranean stink-tunnels, the iconic designs of New York manhole covers assert the city’s individual presence, right down to the streets.