A Sign Of The Times At Humber Street Gallery

Navigating the nation’s road network is made easier with satnavs and smart phones in 2017, but the extra information to be found on road signs can be invaluable to drivers and other road users.

In a celebration of these design classics that have been gracing our roadsides for over 50 years, next month Humber Street Gallery is hosting an exhibition curated by MADE NORTH’s Patrick Murphy of reinterpretations of those classic circles, triangles and squares by leading designers and artists, including Sir Terrance Conran, Betty Jackson and Sir Peter Blake.

As with most successful design projects, the form and beauty of the road sign is often overlooked as their functionality shines. This exhibition takes the purpose of the signs away by setting them in a gallery space and in the surrounding streets, away from the highways, to allow the viewer to appreciate their form in isolation.

Patrick Murphy said:

“Since childhood, I have been fascinated by these signs, as an artist and designer I think the signs occupy a unique place in British visual culture, I can’t imagine an urban or rural landscape without these beautifully realised designs being present. This feeling is shared by many and I was delighted by the response of designers and artists to the project. The project enabled me to work with Margaret and discover more about the personal history of the project.”

Originally designed by Margaret Calvert and Jock Kinnear, their efficient system of road signs come in a limited number of shapes with a restricted colour palette. Broadly speaking, circles give instructions, triangles warn and rectangles inform. The designers also created two new typefaces for their project; Transport and Motorway, that are still used to this day.

The new signs created for the exhibition see designers taking those elements and using them in new, creative ways. David Sinclair from Humber Street Gallery said: “There are certainly some drivers on the roads today who could do with brushing up on their highway code. While we can’t promise that you’ll be ready to sit your theory test after visiting the exhibition, it will provide an opportunity to learn more about the history and the components that make up our road signage.”

David continued:

“The reimagined road signs reflect some of the passions and personalities of the designers and artists who have created them. From Sir Terrance Conran’s gory sign warning cyclists of the dangers of sharing the roads with trucks through to the political ‘No Right Turn’ by FUEL and the cheeky directions sign by Mark Bonner.”

The exhibition opens on 2 October in Gallery 1 at Humber Street Gallery and extends into the surrounding streets. We encourage you to take a walk and identify all 80 signs.