2014
Mother Road is a project derived from the history and myths that come from traveling Route 66, which illustrates journeys – both personal and shared – through road trips, driving and discovery.
For the first part of this project, I embarked on a solo road trip along Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica and even though I dedicated a month for this journey, I feel as though I only was able to get the smallest taste of what the road had to offer. While many people have a nostalgic, often white-washed view of the highway, it is important to remember that this is not the only view of the road, as many of those that still live along it can speak to the many hardships faced by travelers throughout the Mother Road’s era. Life slows down as you travel The Great Diagonal Way since the road breaks up frequently and can’t be travelled in one continuous length anymore. This slowing down made me more aware of the country’s history, the American landscape, and how car travel has changed since its inception in 1926.
During my residency and exhibition at the Hardesty Arts Center, I displayed artifacts, photographs, and videos from my own Route 66 odyssey and invited the public to explore my studio in the gallery. There, they were able to offer their own personal objects and stories for inclusion in the exhibition.
This shared project aims to challenge the idea of a collected memory, as the personal experiences of each individual shapes the way they feel about the road and the culture of the great American road trip. Even though the final stretch of Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985, it is still seen as a vital lifeline in America’s cultural history to those around the world.
