The gap between the stated content of these slogans and reality provokes a cynical reaction reminiscent of that triggered by empty corporate slogans, whose impact is directly related to their degree of detachment from reality – as is the case, for instance, with the MGM slogan “Art for Art’s Sake,” the L’Oreal slogan “Because I’m worth it,” or the Adidas slogan “Impossible is Nothing.”

Coombes’ repositioning of information conveyed by postcards, road signs, and police mottos examines one way in which art may become engaged in a critique of the state. The subversive questioning of systems of power and authority is a consistent feature of his work.

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