Entropic Typography
By steph goralnick
16 Feb 2007
I have admittedly developed a mildly obsessive fixation with signage: its form, its function, and especially its decay. Lettering, typography, and the implementation thereof is a fundamental aspect of my profession as a graphic designer, so this interest stemmed chiefly from a design perspective. However, it has recently manifested itself in my photographic endeavors.
Living in New York City, I draw constant inspiration from urban surroundings and have discovered that remarkable beauty and narrative can often be found in moments that are ordinarily dismissed as mundane. I began to habitually carry a camera with me in case I crossed paths with something worthy of visual documentation, and found myself drawn to the grim demise of typography. Peeling, flaking, rusting signage, or letters teetering off the facades of buildings became choice subject matter, the dirtier and crustier the better. I find it fascinating that when a purely functional object is no longer needed to serve its intended purpose, it deteriorates into something purely aesthetic: the lovely eyesore.
1 response
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AJ Mears said (5 Oct 2008):
I have a similar collection of photos. Why are these signs so intriguing? I'm happy to find a kindred spirit.
