We should appreciate the visual presence of this sign and also the meaning

Dear Editor,

The unveiling of the `I Love Guyana’ sign and tourist park is a step in the right direction for both Guyanese and for tourists. For Guyanese, it is a symbolic gesture of patriotism at a time when the world is increasingly interested in the resources of the country. For tourists, it forms a focal point of reflection for their experiences while visiting Guyana.

One can also examine the “I Love Guyana” sign using semiotics, which is “the study of signs and symbols and their use and interpretation”. From this perspective, there are some observations and some questions that can be asked. First: the sign seems very similar in structure to the “I Love NY” sign even down to the detail of being mounted on a platform. It remains to be seen whether the New York

State Department of Economic Development will contest this design. Second: while the serifed “I” serves a practical purpose to fit neatly on top of the “Y”, the design does not adhere to common practice of mixing different fonts with and without text hierarchies. Third: the left to right colours in the “GUYANA” are the sequential colours of the national flag, but the last “A” was the odd letter out and the decision was to colour it red. That’s a good choice to achieve visual balance across the design but at the same time it distorts the information content that is embedded in the sign.

As we view the sign we should appreciate its visual presence and also the meaning(s) encoded in it.

Yours faithfully, Shivanand