It stands for the American dream: 2500 miles of the “Route 66“ leads across the United States from East to West. “Route 66“ is a symbol of freedom, independence, adventure and a spirit of optimism. With its neon signs and motels, it is a nostalgic and sentimental symbol of the “good old days“.
Along its route there are neon-lit motels from the 50s, diner, cafés, restaurants and petrol stations from the road‘s heyday to nowaday. It leads through unique landscapes and fascinating national parks like the Painted Dessert or guides the traveller along the Grand Canyon. Route 66“ has served as the backdrop for countless films, including “Grapes of Wrath“, The Graduate“ with Dustin Hoffman or the animated film “Cars“, which exemplifies the decline of the towns on the edge of “Route 66“.
For 30 years, “Route 66“ has been removed from the official list of American roads. Where it has not been built over by the new motorway, it has degenerated into a side road, sometimes littered with potholes. The towns that were once bustling with travellers and businessmen are becoming lonely, many of the buildings and motels along the route are falling into disrepair.
Christian Weiß from Würzburg spent three weeks exploring the famous road between Missouri and Los Angeles. The result is pictures that show the road of all roads, the “mother road“ in its neon glow of the early decades, breathtaking landscapes, but also pictures that document decline and decay.
The images of this last journey have not only been part of his application for die photography course in Falmouth, moreover the Royal Photographic Society German Chapter published some in their journal (page 6):
In 2024 he will do the Route 66 for another time and maybe he's lucky to publish a book afterward.
