There are signs everywhere. Traffic signs, directional signs, decorative signs, large signs and small signs. Illuminated signs, doorbell signs, name signs, protective signs, signs on hiking trails and signs on highways.
Through Signs we try to guide and inform our society. They often formulate rules and behaviours (parents are liable for their children) and allow a certain group access to a place and prohibit it to another (restroom signs). Signs title the places around us and name them specifically. The characteristics of certain signs are internationally known. Other signs are more of a local phenomenon. Discontent with political conditions is expressed in protests and visualized in the form of signs.
Will eine Gesellschaft ihrem Unmut über politische Zustände Ausdruck verleihen, organisiert sie einen Protest und visualisiert die Forderungen in Form von Schildern.
From 22–29 June 2021, the Live-In lab on Gustaf-Gründgens-Platz became a model for living together, experimenting together and making decisions together.
Through sign making we wanted to investigate how we shape our environment. How do we move here? What do we want to draw attention to? And to what not? The Sign Makers were not a service, however. It was an encouragement to take the initiative, an encouragement to observe, name and rename. Every person was allowed to make signs. Always and everywhere.

GIF: Tomma Suki & Dominik Dober

Day 1 – Bringing order to the hustle and bustle. We design a sign for the shift schedule to distribute tasks. – Photo: Tomma Suki & Dominik Dober

Day 2 – Who are we? With two big signs high above the Agora we try to name our own cosmos for us and the outside world. – Photo: Tomma Suki & Dominik Dober

Day 3 – Climate Protests in Düsseldorf city centre. We participate and paint demo signs. – Photo: Tomma Suki & Dominik Dober

Day 4 – The Frame Workers come from the future to us in the present and try to grasp what is happening at the Live-In Lab. They start with signs naming the different workshops on the square. We are the »Sign Makers« from now on. The »Space Makers« use signs in the afternoon to record important questions. – Photo: Tomma Suki & Dominik Dober

Day 5 – The sign factory is being used briskly – yet dissatisfaction is spreading among us. We don't like the style we established, too decorative, too many elements, too many colours. The signs look like advertising signs. Overkill. Shabby chic. Is it all too superficial? A passer-by asks, »Are you setting up the Christmas market here?« We are devastated. We can't go on like this. The only possible action seems to be painting over the two large signs in the Agora with black paint. – GIF: Tomma Suki & Dominik Dober

Tag 6 – Während der Woche hat sich ein einiges Vokabular etabliert, welches wir beginnen, auf Schildern fest zu halten.  – Foto: Tomma Suki & Dominik Dober

Tag 6 – Einzelne Worte stehen stellvertretend für die unzähligen Fragen und Auseinandersetzungen, die auf dem Platz verhandelt werden. – Foto: Tomma Suki & Dominik Dober

Day 7 – Performance. Associative sentences arise from different word combinations, which can be interpreted in different ways. Through the use of the square’s own vocabulary, we create belonging – through the performance during the dinner we achieve the necessary attention. – Photo: Tomma Suki & Dominik Dober

Day 8 – Presentation in the cockpit. Reflecting together on sign making and trying to grasp and communicate what we have learned. – Photo: Rainer Schlautmann