On the roadside of what once was old Route 66, just a bit outside of Amarillo Texas, is Cadillac Ranch. An iconic art installation and monument to and critique of American popular culture. It was created in 1974 by the eccentric, genre-bending, architectural art group, “Ant Farm”. Plenty has been written (and better than i can) about both this art piece and the group over the years, but, for me, the most interesting part is the simple passage of time — and the beautifully massive accumulation of paint. 

While both of these were intended aspects (changes over time being an inherent part of outdoor installations and the artists did encourage the public to paint the cars from the start), as a passing American, a nomadic photographer, these cars (buried at the same angle as the great pyramids of Giza) have become a truly fascinating monument. Also, as an ex-graffiti artist, a consumer and creator of mass media, a lover of and hater of our national car culture, and of course, as a constant witness to continual change and reactionary “moment-freezer”, this artwork speaks to me in a way few others ever have. So this month, a few simple shots of someone else’s art, a love letter of sorts. And please, if you are ever out that way, do go visit — I promise it will never, ever, look the same way twice.