propane tank warning sign
This photograph shows a warning sign for an enclosed propane tank. I came across it in 2018 during an adventure near the Pie-IX metro in Montreal, Quebec. It was in a vacant construction sight. The sign has naturally decayed, making the type and graphics nearly indistinguishable. Sometimes typographers physically manipulate type to create desirable effects. I think it's interesting to see how type changes on its own after being abandoned by the typographer. This change can have effects on the environment, too. For example, this sign's purpose is to caution workers of the propanes's tendency to blow up under certain conditions. If it's unreadable, it might be interpreted differently, or not at all. This example of typography inspires me to consider how my work will be as it ages and as I have no control over its restoration. Designing an element into a work that only becomes revealed as the work ages might be a possibility. Or designing a work that has a social function, but deteriorates into a work of art, becoming a critique of public signage as a method for navigation.