In the early decades of the 20th century, automobile ownership saw tremendous growth in the United States—with one motor vehicle per every five Americans by 1929—and a new motoring landscape evolved to accommodate the increase in car travel. For over a century, civil engineers, automotive designers, architects, and graphic artists have worked, often without credit, to create highway systems and the vehicles that traverse them, along with standardized signage and roadside amenities that have become so commonplace that they are largely taken for granted. 

Modern and contemporary artists, however, have long noticed and been inspired by the world in which the automobile operates and have responded to it in their work. Eyes on the Road brings the often-overlooked “art” of the highway together with artistic representations of this visual culture, highlighting the role of the car in shaping the country’s built environment and drawing new attention to the world around us. 

Artists featured in Eyes on the Road include Ed Ruscha, Vik Muniz, Andy Warhol, Mr. Brainwash, Allan D'Arcangelo, David Hockney, Carlos Almaraz, Roger Kuntz, and many more. Curated by the Petersen Automotive Museum and Guest Curator, Jim Farber