Oleg Char

Oleg Char is a Creative Director and artist living in Venice Beach, CA. He has worked in fashion as a designer and owner of a high-end streetwear and jewelry line; in tech as a founder and product designer; and as a published travel photographer. The common thread uniting all his endeavors—and the main reason he enjoys them all so much—is the process of creating.

“This Is Not a Sign” series was born during the 2020 COVID quarantine; at a time when almost all public places around the world were closed, people were inside, and the only way to move about town was by car. Fascinated by night photography—specifically how light becomes the main subject—Oleg found himself at a stoplight one evening when he noticed the flickering sign of a liquor store. The light sparked an idea. A creative journey began. From then on he began driving around the city at night photographing the neon signs and logos of iconic places, as well as random signs that popped up along the way like beacons in the night. The light flickers were yearning for attention with no avail, no audience...until now.

By capturing photographs of neon signs around the world Oleg hopes to preserve the memories of the iconic, and at times obscure, places while sharing the beauty and unique stories with those who have yet to see their wonder in real life.

The name of the series was inspired by a famous 1929 painting by Rene Magritte “The Treachery of Images” aka “Ceci n’est pas une pipe” which translates to “This Is Not a Pipe”.