Hollywood
Publication
2023The Hollywood sign is a cultural icon, an emblem of status characterized as ostentatious. Leo Braudy’s discussion in his book The Hollywood Sign, deciphers it as an American ideal of self-recognition: Hollywood, a place to strive for but never attain. It’s a metonymy for the film industry, real estate, rock and roll, freeways, and all the other LA things you can think of.
The sign was designed to be viewed as far as Wilshire Blvd, to propagate car culture and in its 100+ years of existence, has cemented its status an indelible international icon. A reflection of self-promotion, the romance of idealism, the allure of fame and fortune but, above all, a cultural presence in the midst of a larger LA landscape.