MFT: Art Signatures Dictionary

Isn't it strange that there are no stories about signatures? I think it is wasted opportunity. There is entire culture of celebrity signatures - but it is more of obsessed fetish than reasonable practice. While you can catch a funny story about Donald Trump's signature being interpreted as a "sound wave of demon screaming" (seems legit) - it never goes beyond a one-off jest. By the way - OCR says it's "AuuuUUuuuuuA".

Signatures are special kind of visual poetry no one really cares about. It is pure calligraphic expression of ones personality which is often overlooked because of reasonable amount of overexposure of a subject. You get to sign things a lot over the course of your lifetime and you don't really care about specifics of this particular thing. Why should you? But it can tell so many stories of questionable origin through the power of pareidolia and apophenia...

It is sad that this concept isn't utilized artistically but it is easy to understand why. It is more of an instrument for identification and verification than simply a tool for expression. Otherwise it is just another doodle. Signatures are asemic by nature. The way we perceive them is different from other forms of writing. It is a everchanging reflection of ones that notifies our awareness of a certain things. By signatures we either agree with something and take responsibility over something. And there is no place where signatures are more important than art world.

Artists signatures are things of beauty on its own right. Looking at metamorphosis of signatures of various artists can be mesmerizing. There's entire website dedicated to it - Art Signature Dictionary. It has not much to offer except for the thing itself but this is the case when barebones presentation is the best.

On this website you can browse signatures, monograms and forged signature (latter is for premium users only for some reason). It is fascinating journey. Here's a glimpse at Pablo Picasso signature:

Also - you can learn about existance not one but two artists with a surname AAGAARD which is wonderful just because. Just think about it - AAGAARD and AAGAARD. Think about all possible permutations...

AAARAGRAAAAA DRAGAR AAAAAAAAAADGARADAGR
AGRAGA DAAAAA AADA
DDR
ARDADA
GGRDDAAGRAGAAAGDAGA DARGAAGAAD

AGGGG  RAADGDRDR AAAAAARAAAAARAA
ARRAR AAGARG
DRAADA ARAAAA D A
AGAAGAARD GAAGA AAGADAAAGRAGGAADAARDAGARADAA
GDRAARAARAADD AAA A AADGA GAAAAAAAR
ADRDRD AGRAA
AAAAAGRAAARRADRAARGDRDRAAARAGARAADARARARRADAA  D ADARAAAAAAAAAAG A
RAR

AAD A
GAGRAA RAAR AAA
AARRAADAGAAAGGADRAAAA
R DAR AA

DAAAA ADAD GAA

I mean - experimental writers live for such kind of discoveries.

I'm puzzled why no one really tried to reappropriate concept of signatures for artistic purposes. There are so many things you can do with it. First of all - signatures itself. Then - interpretations, forgeries, OCR, remixes, etc, etc...

I guess - if you want something to happen - do it yourself.