Faded Typographies

This project is an exploration of the many old, worn-down signs scattered throughout different areas of Pittsburgh.

Extracted and cut off from their environments, rendering them mostly unreadable, these photos primarily serve as a study of the typography design and styles of signage used over time, spanning from around the mid-20th century to more recent times, mostly for industrial and once-industrial contexts.

On a secondary level, they also work as a kind of documentation of Pittsburgh’s past, highlighting what’s been allowed to be preserved, what’s been replaced, and what’s been left behind entirely. An archive of how Pittsburgh has presented itself, and the businesses and people that these signs were a part of.

2025