The Ghosts of Route 66
The Ghosts of Route 66 depicts vintage snapshots of vacationing Americans photoshopped into contemporary scenes of urban decay along highway Route 66. The image captions present contrasting socio-economic statistics between then and now.
Many fondly recall the "Golden Age of America," the decades following World War II, as a time of great national optimism and economic prosperity, an era of social upward mobility, when rising incomes and union mandated leisure time allowed "white working class" families from the industrial East to venture West in their shiny automobiles.
Today, while corporate profits and stock market indices have hit record highs, the "white middle class" is quickly losing wealth and social status due to the broken promises of "Trickle-down" economics. The decline of Route 66 symbolizes their decline, and perhaps a forshadowing of turbulent times ahead.