Panaji’s streetscape is undergoing a visible transformation as digital flex signages inspired by what many describe as an ‘Airbnb aesthetic’ steadily replace traditional hand-painted boards across the city and other Goan towns. The shift has resulted in streets that increasingly resemble those in mainstream urban India, with local character giving way to a standardised visual language. Alongside this aesthetic change, traditional sign painters are quietly disappearing, and with them, a long-standing craft tradition.
This evolving urban landscape formed the backdrop of a recent MOG Sunday session on Indian Street Lettering held at the Museum of Goa. Award-winning typeface designer and lettering artist Pooja Saxena used the occasion to draw attention to Goa’s street lettering as a living visual archive of its architectural and cultural history.
Saxena warned that the proliferation of digital flex signs, typically LED banner displays stretched over metal frames, is creating an ‘Airbnb aesthetic’ in which cities begin to look indistinguishable from one another. As she explained, when walking through such spaces, it becomes difficult to identify a city by its visual cues. The loss, she stressed, is not merely aesthetic but economic as well. When hand-painted signs disappear, so do the livelihoods attached to them. For Saxena, these signs should not survive only as museum exhibits; their true meaning lies in remaining functional, expressive elements within everyday public spaces.
Discussing her book project India Street Lettering: A Journey Through Typographic Craft & Culture, Saxena observed that lettering styles often reflect the historical period in which neighbourhoods developed. In Panaji, she pointed out, Art Deco and Art Nouveau influences in signage align closely with the city’s architectural heritage. Goa’s visual identity, she noted, is shaped by distinctive elements such as azulejos, woodwork and three-dimensional lettering. In conversation with Goa-based visual artist Avani Tanya, she explained how context shapes the way design elements are interpreted, while the coastal climate affects materials, making frequent repainting both necessary and a visible sign of ongoing care.
According to Saxena, street lettering extends beyond functionality; it operates as a gestural expression shaped by the human hand. Reflecting on increasing reliance on digital tools, she admitted concerns about losing touch with manual craft and handwriting. Her book focuses on letterforms created through analogue techniques, including hand painting and specialised processes, underscoring the intentionality and skill embedded in these forms.
Saxena expressed hope that her work would inspire people to look more closely at their local marketplaces and public spaces. By encouraging greater attention to everyday lettering, she believes citizens may begin to appreciate its cultural significance and advocate for its preservation. As Goa navigates the balance between modernisation and heritage, the conversation around street lettering raises broader questions about how cities can retain their identity while adapting to changing times.
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