Untitled (sign for I.C.O golf tournament) c. 1950

This photo by Robert Burian captures a sign for the Insurance City Open golf tournament. What's neat here is how a functional object, a sign, can still spark the imagination. I can imagine Burian setting up his camera, framing this scene. The bold lettering, “Welcome to New England’s Greatest Golf Event,” is trying so hard to be convincing. It's as if the sign painter is channeling their inner salesman, wanting to convey a sense of excitement. I see how each brushstroke builds up into this proclamation. What I like about this photo is that it's a piece of vernacular, it's art made by someone who probably didn't consider themselves an artist, and that makes it all the more interesting. It shows that creativity isn't confined to the studio! It seeps into every aspect of our daily lives.