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The Open Road

February 27 – May 30, 2016

Stephen Shore, U.S. 97, South of Klamath Falls, Oregon, July 21, 1973
Stephen Shore, U.S. 97, South of Klamath Falls, Oregon, July 21, 1973, 1973, chromogenic color print, 17 × 21 3/4 in. © Stephen Shore, Courtesy of the artist and 303 Gallery, New York

The Open Road, Crystal Bridges’ first large-scale photography exhibition, presents the story of the American road as inspiration. Visit roadside motels, Mt. Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Route 66, the Pacific Coast Highway, theme parks, and everyday America. The images provide offbeat and personal reflections of the photographers’ journeys, including the people they encounter, car culture, roadside attractions, and more.

Come along for the ride on a visual journey across the US!

With 100+ images, The Open Road features 19 photographers on the move across America from the 1950s to today. Celebrate the great American road trip with this don’t-miss exhibition, debuting at Crystal Bridges.

The Open Road exhibition trailer

Photographers featured in the exhibition include: Robert Frank, Ed Ruscha, Garry Winogrand, Inge Morath, William Eggleston, Lee Friedlander, Joel Meyerowitz, Jacob Holdt, Stephen Shore, Bernard Plossu, Victor Burgin, Joel Sternfeld, Alec Soth, Todd Hido, Shinya Fujiwara, Ryan McGinley, Justine Kurland, and Taiyo Onorato and Nico Krebs. Together, these photographers elevate the snapshot—often taken through the window of a moving car—to a work of art.

Travel with these photographers as they discover, experience, and capture their American journeys on The Open Road.

Music

Road Song Rumble

And the winner is… Johnny Cash – I’ve Been Everywhere!
Thanks to all who voted in Road Song Rumble, and congratulations to our weekly exhibition ticket winners. Now that we know the Ultimate Road-Trip Song, grab a pair of headphones and come visit The Open Road exhibition to experience the tune on a visual journey across the U.S. Happy traveling!

Spotify Playlist

Is the road trip imaginable without music?

Hit the open road with our highway-tested tunes, developed with suggestions from our online community. Listen chronologically to hear a diverse mix of songs about traveling on the American road from the 1940s to today, or shuffle songs to mix dates and genres.

A free Spotify account is required.

Open Road Spotify playlist

Sponsored By

This exhibition was organized by Aperture Foundation, New York. David Campany and Denise Wolff, Curators.
This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

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