Read a fascinating article today. Seems that there is a man who, since the 1980's, has been documenting the signs that are painted on buildings in Manhattan, specifically from 14th to 42nd Street.
Most of the signs go back many decades, and tout products and companies that no longer exist. Wherever he can, Walter Grutchfield has researched the signs, and provides a short blurb about the product or company that the sign represents. Many of the signs are nearly faded out, and some of the signs that he photographed early on are no longer in existence.
Building art - I love it. My fondest memory of painting on building was the one of Gooden pitching painted on a building that came into view just as one emerged from the Lincoln Tunnel in the late 80s.
The website Forgotten NY: The Infrastructure of a Lost Metropolis shows lots of photographs of vintage New York City (arranged in sections for signs, street lamps, trolleys, trains, subways, alleys, and more; includes an eclectic collection of links, most of which are related to New York City).
Weak point, Walter? ...But wait a minute: we don't have chocolate klompen! For a change, we Dutch stay with the chocolate bunnies and eggs...but I understand your point. I hope the Easter Bunny will be good for me this year :wink: and give me lots of chocolate!
Hey Phoenix, thanks for the link...and thanks to littlek for the heads up.
This would be my artistic equivalent in NY I suppose---Im a freak when it comes to shadow ads.
Shadows is the historical/architectural name, fading ads is the artistic name.
I had found one guy in NY that did the same thing previously: http://www.fadingad.com/index.html
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