Signs of Life
2012

Composed from cutouts of satellite imagery, Signs of Life is a study in the structures of advertising and business. This means, on the one hand, the intricate systems of beams and lattices that hold up billboards, the varying proportions of Burger King and Shell signs across the country, and the shades of stucco in our giant compound shopping center signs. On the other hand, it can be read as a collection of messages from humanity to itself, reflecting a collective preoccupation with movies, cell phones, lotteries, alcohol, sports, amusement parks, and "new lower rates" of all kinds-- but also marriage counseling, weight loss, debt management, rehab, and adult education. The population pictured falls for everything huge and free (a "Splash of Cash", a dangled "MEGA MILLIONS") at the same time that it strives to turn its life around once and for all.

202 Billboard Structures

A collage of cutouts of billboards from Google Earth

153 Signs for Shopping Centers and Entertainment Complexes

A collage of large signs indicating which stores are in a shopping center, cut out from Google Earth

295 Roadside Signs

A collage of tall signs cut out from Google earth, mostly for fast food and gas stations