Signs of Life

Video / Installation
2022–ongoing

“Signs of Life” is a video installation project that considers the life cycles of the urban landscape through a study of unused road signs.

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Since moving to Albuquerque, I have been photographing unused or abandoned road signs around New Mexico, capturing over 100 signs to date.

I then recreated these signs using the 3D modeling and animation software Blender as an attempt to crystallize each object in the condition I originally saw them.

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“Signs of Life.” Installation with two-channel projection and chairs made of MDF and PVC pipe. Sanitary Tortilla Factory, 2024.

ARTIST BOOK

Each of my projects are paired with a companion artist book that details background information and research. This book contains an artist statement on my project Signs of Life, in addition to: a directory of all abandoned signs captured since 2021, vector drawings, a map of all signs, printed stills from the animated videos, and photos of each sign featured in the book. The book was printed at Risolana, a community risograph studio I co-founded with Michael Lopez in 2021. The animation stills were printed twice to achieve a richer black, but also to create double-images through the slight misregistrations that come with the riso process.

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Each sign is animated to exist in a perpetual state between death and rebirth, and together, their collective symbolism conjures visions of the afterlife.

Two-channel projection of 3D Blender animation, with synth soundtrack. 19 min 20 sec, 2024.

Audio by Drew Miller.

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ROUTE 66 CENTENNIAL

“Signs of Life” has been featured by Friends of the Orphan Signs in their 2023 retrospective. This project is also currently being reenvisioned as an augmented reality piece in collaboration with Refract Studio to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of Route 66 in fall 2025.

Signs of Life. Single-channel projection of 3D Blender animation. 9 min 20 sec, 2023