We’re all guilty of eavesdropping on other people’s conversations. And let’s face it—some of them can be pretty entertaining. Dreamworks animation artist Avner Geller illustrates the weird and wonderful things he overhears in cafes, public transportation, and on the streets of Los Angeles. His personal ongoing series of funny illustrations, titled #ThingsThatiHear, reveals just how strange modern life can be.
“The idea for #ThingsThatiHear arrived when I was visiting a cookware store in Los Angeles,” says Geller. “A young woman was looking at her phone and gave a big sigh, turned to her friend decisively and exclaimed, ‘He wants to go to Bali. But I say Fiji!’ I couldn’t help but laugh. The absurdity of this ‘first world problem’ was too much.” Since then, Geller started to take note of all sorts of real-life conversations, many of which were eventually translated into satirical illustrations.
Rendered in his distinct, colorful style, Geller’s series is both hilarious and relatable. From bizarre online dating experiences to the daily struggles of adulthood, it’s easy to imagine ourselves overhearing similar conversations, or even having them ourselves. “The characters in the world of #ThingsThatiHear are people we all know,” reveals Geller. “They are our office mates who complain to us about the daily grind. They are the awful online date we are trying so hard to forget. They are the people silently stalking our Facebook. More than anything they are the US when we think no one is listening.”
After spending 4 years sharing his illustrations online, Geller has recently released a 128-page hardcover book filled with his best work, plus exclusive drawings you can’t find online. You can support the project on Kickstarter and find more from the #ThingsThatiHear series on Instagram.
Dreamworks animation artist Avner Geller illustrates the weird and wonderful things he overhears in Los Angeles.
His personal ongoing series, #ThingsThatiHear reveals just how strange modern life can be.
