paris, city of light

The bright green and blue pharmacie crosses intrigue me. Obviously they aren't all for the same phramacie, no business is so ubiquitous. But then why all prescribe (no pun intended... ok maybe a little) to such a similar signage? It seems that in America if there are two competing stores/companies/taco stands/whatever they try to distinguish themselves graphically from the competition but still maintain a certain style which alludes to their product. Here the only main differences between pharmacie signs are the patterns which are contained within the simple recognizable structure of a cross (perhaps a remnant of the Red Cross' influence during both World Wars?)

I enjoy the repetitive flashing neon patterns, their simple color scheme, and the numerous differences contained in such simple and self imposed parameters. With the only apparent differences in signage being the flashing patterns can the average (or at least the astute) Parisian notice their favorite pharmacie from such subtle details. Or is it just a simple manufacturing issue, different signs ordered from different people? Of course it seems bizarre to think there is some sort of competing market for pharmacie signs.

Anyways, that's something I'm interested in investigating further, perhaps through drawing or video.

I was also thinking about how Paris is referred to as the City of Light, not only for it's great educational institutions (not trying to suck up or anything, just saying) but also for it's early adoption of street lights. I was noticing lots of different street lights and signs, how they are used, and to what effect. With a long history of use of lights in a public space I want to explore this use further since I see street light as a very powerful force. Not only is it essential for survival in the modern world but it uses heavily culturally loaded imagery and in turn has become heavily loaded imagery in itself. This is a small composition I made experimenting with that idea.

-Dan