Route 66 Artworks

66 Sleepers was an imagination of an old western architectural look motel located somewhere in Oklahoma state. This title is the fourth title and just completed in the last October 2004.

After the government decided to close down the old route 66, the economic condition of business sites like 66 Sleepers became dark. In the old days, 66 Sleepers was one of well known motel alongside the route that was always visited by travelers including bikers. Along with the closure of the old route 66, the economic prediction became an unpredictable one. That’s sobbing.

The story of memory motel began when a man named Al came by for a rest. Al stop his red painted Road King there. After 8 hours riding his motorbike along the old 66 route, he felt so exhausted and wanted to sleep for a night. Al, unfortunately, was unable to take a rest there that night. 66 Sleepers was already closed and intended to be sold by its owner! The price is only $ 1! Although only $1, no one was interested to buy the site. It’s probably caused by the situation that did not support people to run such business in a lonely place this time. That’s actually very sobbing. He can only grumble and sleep outside in his red sleeping bag just like another motoriders that came before him. It seems that they had the same nightmare that night. So bad.

Just like another title in my project, 66 sleepers was also a very clear example for us that there are a fight between old and new value. It’s probably happened not only here in Indonesia, but also in other part of this world. In this case, an old building or an old historical site was always defeated if compared with a new modern one. It was defeated in almost all aspects. The new one was deemed more productive and economical. This statement would not be exposed if all related party (government, people and many independent foundation) can clearly think and work together in managing such old site.

In this ultra modern era, we can still try to find the benefit of old sites (historic, social, education and economic). The finding of these benefits have to be supported by all. That’s very important to raise the subjects mentioned above in order to raise the welfare of all people. That’s more brilliant rather than building a perception of a useless historical garbage.

In the process of making such artwork, I use various materials that is ussually called garbage. I force myself to use these materials in order to break the perception of most of my people that an old thing (ex : historical site) is just garbage. Of Course this statement is not for all people. I’m trying to make useless materials into useful and cool one. For me, it’s proved that there is almost no garbage in this world. Everyone must be creative in turning perception of garbage thing including historical sites into something worthy.