"Route 66" Opens Saturday January 5th at Skidmore Contemporary Art! (Photos)

Take a trip down memory lane with "Route 66," opening Saturday, January 5th at Skidmore Contemporary Art at Bergamot Station.

“Route 66” is a group show paying tribute to the classic highway which has been long celebrated through various songs, TV shows, and movies.

The exhibition features artists Alan Gorman, Daryl Gortner, James Guçwa, Cheryl Kelley, Dave Lefner, Eric Nash, Cesar Santander, Robert Townsend, and Dennis Ziemienski.

“Route 66” brings to mind nostalgic memories of middle America in the 1960s.

The highway, Route 66, has been around since 1926. Dubbed the Main Street of America, Route 66 has a vast history, bringing to mind a gentler world. Back in the 1930s, many people headed west on this infamous route. Originally running from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before ending at Los Angeles, California, the highway has had many changes. It was eventually adapted into the new Interstate Highway System.

“Route 66,” the exhibition, will feature a broader sense of the cultural aspect. Artist Robert Townsend captures a moment in time with his painting of a bus tour stopped by the side of the road. Known as a poprealist, Townsend gives California an artistic voice in his work and features the weather, car culture and more. “More than anything, I think my work is about vernacular culture,” Townsend explains.

Other works in “Route 66” can be viewed as modern day while still holding a certain retro quality. Daryl Gortner’s paintings exemplify this....featuring ordinary objects in locations reminiscent of the 60s. The automobile plays a prominent role in the show with iconic gasoline station signs and the striking images of the all-American muscle car by artist Cheryl Kelley.

The opening reception takes place on Saturday, January 5th, from 3-5 pm at Skidmore Contemporary Art, (D-2) at Bergamot Station, located at 2525 Michigan Ave., in Santa Monica. http://skidmorecontemporaryart.com/