Rear Vision Mirror

Looking behind can bring into focus what was beautiful about the past. Like a rear-view mirror, memory offers a perspective that is both reflective and selective, allowing familiar forms to be reimagined through the lens of the present. This work explores that interplay between nostalgia and reinterpretation, drawing inspiration from the visual language of the mid-century period.

Vintage motel signage became the starting point for this piece. Once designed to capture attention through bold graphics, distinctive typography, and sculptural forms, these signs now evoke a sense of optimism, travel, and cultural identity. I have distilled and reinterpreted their forms, colours, and textures into a contemporary visual language.

Using plywood, paint, and resin, I have synthesised their graphic and three-dimensional qualities into an abstract composition that celebrates the aesthetic richness of the era while inviting new ways of seeing. The work reflects on how design from the past continues to influence our visual culture, reminding us that looking back is not simply an act of remembrance, but an opportunity to discover enduring beauty and fresh meaning.