Open Road Invites West Hollywood to Reimagine the Spirit of Route 66

As part of its celebration of the Route 66 Centennial, the City of West Hollywood unveiled Open Road, a striking temporary public art installation by internationally recognized multimedia artist Luciana Abait. Installed at the City-owned building at 8315 Santa Monica Boulevard, the expansive 80-foot storefront artwork transformed a familiar stretch of the historic corridor into a vibrant visual tribute to one of America's most iconic roadways.

Commissioned through the City's Bronze Silver Gold Creative Plan (Creative Plan), Open Road serves as the first in a series of Route 66 Centennial projects designed to celebrate the historic highway's lasting cultural influence. The installation launches a broader slate of commemorative programming that includes artistic street pole installations, a temporary sculpture at Plummer Park, new Route 66 signage, and a classic car show.

Abait's work reflected the Creative Plan's theme, Inventing Traditions, by blending nostalgia with innovation. Using photographs from her personal archives and enhancing them through digital animation techniques, she created an immersive panorama of Western landscapes that honored the romance of the American road trip while imagining its future. Rich pointillistic textures and vivid, high-definition imagery encourages viewers to experience the open highway as both a cherished memory and an evolving story that bridges past and present, stitching together a speculative vista that captures the exhilaration of moving fast, slowing down, and pausing in wonder.

Installed along one of the most recognizable segments of historic Route 66 directly across the street from City Hall on Santa Monica Boulevard, Open Road celebrated themes of freedom, discovery, and movement while inviting pedestrians to pause, reflect, and engage with the corridor in a new way. The artwork connects generations by reinterpreting the mythology of the Mother Road through contemporary technology and artistic expression.

Born in Buenos Aires and based in Los Angeles, Luciana Abait is known internationally for multimedia works exploring climate change, environmental fragility, and their effects on immigration. Her installations and public artworks have appeared in museums, galleries, airports, and civic spaces around the world, bringing a global perspective to West Hollywood's growing collection of public art.

Open Road exemplifies the City's commitment to making arts and culture an everyday experience. Through the Creative Plan, West Hollywood continues to activate public spaces with unexpected artistic encounters, reinforcing its identity as a destination where creativity is woven into the fabric of daily life. The installation will remain on view through November 2026, offering residents and visitors alike an inspiring stop along the historic Route 66 corridor while celebrating both its storied past and its imaginative future.

Check out photos from City photographer Jon Viscott: