Sign Language

by Amy Hill

Imagine driving down a highway and seeing two exit signs. One says "Overachievers" and the other, "Underachievers." Which would you follow? Amy Hill photographs the universal highway sign, then digitally alters it to create a unique and surprising collection of images. Not only are they thought provoking, but they show how quickly life whizzes by as it carries us along. On one particular highway, one lane calls for those who are "Today Hilarious, Tomorrow Despondent," another for anyone "Optimistic No Matter What." Another road gives the choice between "Street Smart" and "Academically Intelligent." Which lanes would you choose? The deadpan, head-on presentation of these images contributes to their hilarity, and their sometimes disturbing observations about modern day life provoke self-examination and self-awareness. Riders use the signs less as a guide to their physical destinations than their psychologial ones. But ultimately these images go far beyond the individual level. From the banal to the bizarre, they are an alarmingly accurate record of our times.

64 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2002

Reviews

[Yousseif Abdellatif · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not gonna lie, the first chapter of Sign Language is a rough one, and I almost shelved it. But Amy Hill clearly wanted to make you earn the good stuff, and boy, does it show up. By the halfway mark I was all in. Worth it for the stubborn, not for the easily bored.

[Yousseif Abdellatif · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cracked open Sign Language looking for a casual read, but Amy Hill came through with a brutal critique of how hierarchy distorts truth and keeps us playing by broken rules.