more things to do with ron paul signs left by the side of the road

Shelter #2, from the series: Things to do with Ron Paul Signs Left by the Side of the Road. Original dimensions 24' x 36'; current dimensions 24' x 6' x 36' installed. Acrylic on found objects. 2008, m.o.i.

The interstate seems to be a prime focus of the rogue Ron Paul sign. One is left to wonder what the penultimate expression of signage might be if Mr. Paul were to gain the nomination. Would there just be no limit to the signs, would thousands line the roadways like flags during a holiday? Would those opposed to the clutter, have to sue the perpetrators proving we've suffered an economic loss before such actions would be deemed inappropriate?

I was also thinking about the housing crisis while making this piece. Owning your own home has been part of the decreed American Dream for some years, but is that changing? Perhaps Americans are tiring of owning their own home. If you work all the time, or worse yet, if both partners work all the time, and you both have a heavy commute, and you travel frequently, or God forbid, there's the combination of all those factors, maybe owning your own home isn't the right approach. Who has time for all the yard work? What if you get upside on your mortgage? And is this the best use of your time? your money?

The original sign had all the appearances of being slapped together by a construction worker after a long day of listening to right-wing airwave nuts rant about individual rights over societal rights. The support frame was screwed together with rough-in screws and the base was made from two small dish tubs with a small amount of leftover concrete to serve as weight. Whoever made the sign didn't do a good job of calculating the weight needed to keep it upright and they made no effort to rectify their mistake.

The sign appeared one morning by the freeway along my commute and by the afternoon winds had blown it over. After a couple of weeks of seeing it laying in the ditch, I decided it's original purpose was due for reinvention.

elsewhere:

m.o.i.: ron paul enters the twilight zone
m.o.i.: belief change
m.o.i.: the caucus badge