Ghost signs: Fading reminders of the past
Summary
Faded advertisements known as ghost signs remain on brick walls across the United States, offering clues about past businesses and products. Artist Craig Winslow uses projection mapping to temporarily recreate old signs, while enthusiasts document them before demolition removes them.Key Facts
- Marketing professor Ron Ladouceur searches for and studies ghost signs in Schenectady, New York.
- Ladouceur said the golden era of ghost signs ran from about 1895 through the 1930s, alongside the rise of national advertising.
- Many signs promoted brands and companies that no longer exist, and repeated layers of paint can make them hard to read.
- Ghost signs are often lost when buildings are demolished.
- Craig Winslow’s Light Capsules project uses projection mapping to recreate the appearance of old signs.
- Winslow researches signs using archival images and old directories before projecting them.
- In Portland, Oregon, Winslow identified five advertising layers on a warehouse wall, including signs for Montgomery Ward and Oregon Transfer Co.
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