…I documented local sign structures that no longer bore any messages. Now, it seems there’s a whole Signifying Nothing city. It seems the city leaders of Sao Paolo, tired of their burg being ignored by the world in favor of the smaller but prettier Rio, took the bold step of banning billboards and most other outdoor advertising signs. They called it a move against visual pollution.

Of course, a city without advertising is still the same city, just a little less dressed. In this case, it’s a huge city with some stunning skyscrapers and civic monuments, but also a lot of non-cosmetic civic problems, many arising from an exploding population and poor urban planning.