Back in September 2012, I started my inner-west signwriting exhibition project by cycling to 50 locations where the former Lewis & Skinner company had once painted a sign, as recorded in the records I found and turned into an online archive: www.lewisandskinner.com.
At each location I dropped off a photocopy of the Lewis & Skinner job sheet for that sign, plus a customised postcard inviting the residents to come to my forthcoming exhibition.
The first building I visited on my rounds was a former grocery in Seddon where a Fishers Wax sign had been painted in 1952. I still pass that building every morning on the way to work. On that morning I left the job sheet in the door. (I tell the story of that first day of dropoffs here: http://findingtheradiobook.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/today-my-first-lewis-skinner-document.html)
This is what the grocery looked like at the time:
...and here's the job sheet, taken from: http://www.lewisandskinner.com/items/show/874
I didn't get any follow-up from the owners, but earlier this year, I noticed this in the front window - a cool little nod to the building's history:
Then the other day I went past again, and the sign had vanished once more:
I enjoyed the quiet intervention while it was there, but also don't so much mind its removal, which is much like the ephemeral character of the actual ghost signs it emulates or reproduces. Must get back there sometime and interview the owners if they're up for it :)
