Thanks to our clumsy human foot steps, millions of bugs, roaches, ants and mosquitos die a painful death on the sidewalk. Our cities are full of mass graves resulting from tragic insect massacres in public space. With their Bug Memorials project, the Minneapolis-based Carmichael Collective wants to raise awareness for this terrible side effect of mankind by installing little memorials at places where an insect has died.

The bug memorials can be considered part of a micro intervention trend that wants us to experience the city a little better. As we’re all busy we often forget to stop and notice the world around us, argues Bit Rebels: “The purpose of this installation is to make people stop, stare, and in that moment become aware of their surroundings”. And to be honest, passing a bug memorial on my way to work would change my focus…

Over the last years we’ve featured similar miniature projects, such as the pothole gardener and a chewing gum painter. Both initiatives focus on the smallest urban objects and try to make you look different at boring urban spaces by re-styling tiny little ugliness.