Signs of the Times (Again)
Crazy life stuff: I’ve been seeing a show promoted in Wynwood called Signs of the Times. The name immediately pulled me back to 2018, when I put together A Sign of the Times to celebrate Yo Miami’s 7th anniversary. That show featured portraits of culturally iconic figures painted onto street signs, a playful pun that fell right into the brand identity that is a natural reflection of my own sense of humor.
I don’t think I invented the wheel. The pun is sitting right there, waiting for anyone glancing in that direction. Still, there’s always a little tickle in the back of my brain when I see someone use the same or a similar name as a project I’ve done. Not resentment, just that quick mental nudge: hey, I’ve been there before.
To be fair, I don’t think the Wynwood crew had any awareness of my use of it. I usually do at least a basic Google search when I’m naming an event or show, just to see if it’s been used recently or locally. It’s not about claiming ownership, I never felt like I “owned” it. It’s just about avoiding confusion.
Then today, I saw another flyer pop up on my feed for a show in Georgia, also called Signs of the Times. And that’s when I really stopped and thought: what is in the air?
Maybe it’s just coincidence. Maybe we’re all pulling from the same cultural currents. Or maybe it’s a glimpse of something stranger: the way AI and algorithms are flattening language, nudging us all toward the same recycled titles and phrases until originality feels like déjà vu.
Either way, it’s a reminder: names and ideas don’t live in isolation. They’re signals bouncing around in the cultural ether. Sometimes you’re the one sending them. Sometimes you’re just noticing when they echo back.