Not Here & 2 Road Signs 1990 Seyed Alavi Alavi's road signs are at once commonplace and enigmatic. Alavi's roots in Islamic mysticism have led him to revere architecture and the written word. The visual haikus Alavi has placed on the SMIP Ranch road are intended to awaken in the viewer an awareness of the beauty in simple everyday forms and an appreciation for the fine line that separates art and life.