A new Route 66-themed sculpture was installed recently along the historic highway in the Nob Hill area of Albuquerque, one of more than a dozen along the city’s Mother Road.
KOB-TV of Albuquerque reported that the “Route 66 Throne” artwork features a colorful Route 66 shield with gas pumps surrounding it, along with a cut-out rear of a car where visitors can sit in the trunk for photo-ops.
Street artist Nazario Sandoval and his father, Andy Sandoval, designed the 1951 Ford Flex sculpture to honor miners, including Nazario’s grandfather, who used Route 66 for work.
“They would travel back and forth; they were Uranian miners in Grants, New Mexico. So a lot of that time there was nothing but mining jobs, and that’s what made these towns boom,” said Sandoval. […]
“It’s about legacy and honoring the past in history. So I thought there wouldn’t be a more fitting to work with than my dad,” said Sandoval.
Here is KOB-TV’s video report on the installation:
The sculpture is near M’tucci’s restaurant at 3222 Central Ave. (aka Route 66).
The artwork is part of 17 pieces commissioned for the Route 66 Remixed project, marking the highway’s centennial this year.
(Screen-capture image from KRQE-TV video of Andy and Nazario Sandoval with their artwork)