Hasselblad 501c | 50mm Zeiss Lens | Ilford Delta ISO 100 | © James Gray
Morrisons, Cardiff Bay
My theme from a City & Guilds project in 2007, although the other 25 gas stations have yet to be photographed, was based on the work by Ed Ruscha. Reason for the project, as the world starts shifting to electric, then these are going to fade and disappear from collective memories.
Route 66
Edward Ruscha’s iconic 1963 artwork, “Twentysix Gasoline Stations”, was a collection of photographs taken along the famous Route 66 spanning the United States. The gas stations featured in this series represented some of the most well-known brands in the country, including Chevron and Standard Oil. Each photograph captured the classic gas station architecture of the time, from tall arches and visible gas pumps to bold lettering and clean sidewalks. These images painted a vivid portrait of Americana at its finest.
View the book by Edward Ruscha ‘Twentysix Gasoline Stations’ 1963 – the inspiration behind this project, which is featured here on the Tate Gallery.
Now, all I need to do is complete the project and continue photographing gas stations around Wales. I’ll do this, and post the images here as they get done.