Signs, Signs

While largely self-taught, John Armstrong has dedicated much of his time to photography since retiring as a scientist from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Having been raised in the Chicago area, he often photographs urban areas. Describing Signs, Signs, John states, I noticed the scene while driving through a road construction project. Apparently all the existing road signs had been removed and were stored in a group on the side of the road. The pedestrian sign in the photo immediately caught my eye for two reasons: it was yellow and stood out from the other signs and the figure on this sign seemed to be forlornly staring at the numerous signs ahead of it. To me the photo represents the information overload we all experience as we navigate our way through the numerous signs and images that are vying to gain our attention every day. And lastly, the stop signs to the left in the photo appear to be calling out for all this sign madness to end so we can carry on our lives in peace. –Artist statement