Asher Maze Sign Trail Spreads Across Ashford

A series of bespoke signage has been created by artist Asher Maze as part of the Ashford Unframed street art festival. Dotted around Ashford, the signs are a trail in themselves. Visitors to Ashford can discover them whilst on their way to explore the new murals appearing in the town.

‘You Are Here’ at the Coachworks in Ashford

Asher Maze

Based in Folkstone, Asher Maze is an artist known for using signage in a semi-subversive way. The idea being to use recognisable street furniture and to place a playful spin onto it. So common in the world we live, the messaging from signage can often become background noise to our daily lives.

Inside the Coachworks this trio could be discovered

Ashford Unframed

Taking part in the two week Ashford Unframed festival, the signs make connections to different parts of the town. A mixture of free standing, painted and fixed, the signage acts as a disrupter. They cause people to stop and pause as they make their way through their daily business.

Escaping into the park

Transitionary Artwork

Of course the majority of signage will soon be long gone. A few painted onto flower planters and perhaps the one fixed to a pole near to the World War I tank might survive a little longer. Subversive artwork like this is not meant to last however. Indeed would you want it to? That immediacy and uniqueness is, after all, part of its appeal.

Ashford Unframed is a street art festival that ran from 31 March 2023 to 16 April 2023. Asher Maze’s artwork is called ‘Sign of the Times’ and all images in this post are courtesy of Asher Maze.


‘Caution Strong Magnetic Field’ – Maze also created the installation with the hammer as part of this work
Ashford’s famous World War I tank has indeed been out of service for some time
‘Art Can Surprise’ – Planter in the town centre
‘Art can be Wild’ planter in the town centre
‘Art Can Save Your Life’ – Planter in the town centre
‘That’s All Folks’ symbolising the end of the Trail at the Ashford Picturehouse cinema
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