Steve Fitch
American, born 1949
About
Steve Fitch
American, born 1949
Steve Fitch is well-known explorations of the American highway and roadside attractions include his acclaimed 1970s series Diesels and Dinosaurs and color photographs from Western Landmarks, photographed in the 1980s and 1990s.
After graduating with a degree in anthropology from UC Berkeley, Steve Fitch began taking road trips to photograph what he refers to as “the vernacular of the journey,” capturing the spirit of Jack Kerouac’s On the Road and celebrating the cultural landscape of the two-lane highway. Acting as a visual anthropologist who uses photography to collect material, Steve Fitch photographed pre-franchise neon motel signs, big rig trucks, truck-stop waitresses, and quirky roadside attractions like snake charmers and dinosaur parks, re-creating his childhood experience of road trips in the family Buick. Though he wasn’t aware of it at the time, Fitch was drawn to particular aspects of Americana on the verge of extinction, like mom-and-pop motels and drive-in theaters, anachronisms in today’s culture of air travel and multi-lane interstates.
Steve Fitch earned a BA from UC Berkeley in 1971, an MFA from the University New Mexico in 1978, and has taught photography at UC Berkeley, the University of Colorado in Boulder, Princeton University, and since 1990, at the College of Santa Fe. He is the recipient of three NEA Fellowships, and his widely exhibited photographs are in permanent collections at institutions including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C.; Museum San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles; the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Art Institute of Chicago; the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam; and the Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow, among others. Fitch’s monographs are Diesels and Dinosaurs (1976), Marks in Place: Contemporary Responses to Rock Art (1988), Gone: Photographs of Abandonment on the High Plains (2003), Llano Estacado: Island in the Sky (2011), Motel Signs (2011), and American Motel Signs 1980-2008 (2016).
Motels
Steve Fitch
Grand View Motel, Highway 87, Raton, New Mexico, December 18, 1980, 1980
Pigment ink print / Chromogenic print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 37.5 in. / 40 x 50 in. / 48 x 60 in.
Steve Fitch
Starlite Motel, Highway 60, Mesa, Arizona, December 28, 1980
Pigment ink print / Chromogenic print
24 x 20 in. / 37.5 x 30 in. / 50 x 40 in. / 60 x 48 in.
Steve Fitch
Capri Motel, Highway 87, Raton, New Mexico, 1980
Pigment ink print / Chromogenic print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 37.5 in. / 40 x 50 in. / 48 x 60 in.
Steve Fitch
Blue Swallow Motel, Highway 66, Tucumcari, New Mexico, July, 1990
Pigment ink print / Chromogenic print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 37.5 in. / 40 x 50 in. / 48 x 60 in.
Steve Fitch
Bel Shore Motel sign, Highway 80, Deming, New-Mexico, 1980
Pigment ink print / Chromogenic print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 37.5 in. / 40 x 50 in. / 48 x 60 in.
Steve Fitch
Arrow Motel, Highway 285, Espanola, New Mexico, 1982
Pigment ink print / Chromogenic print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 37.5 in. / 40 x 50 in. / 48 x 60 in.
Steve Fitch
El Kapp Motel, HIghway 64, Raton, New Mexico, 1980
Pigment ink print / Chromogenic print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 37.5 in. / 40 x 50 in. / 48 x 60 in.
Steve Fitch
Grand View Motel, Highway 66, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1980
Pigment ink print / Chromogenic print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 37.5 in. / 40 x 50 in. / 48 x 60 in.
Steve Fitch
Motel, Highway 287, Hedley, Texas, January 8, 1981
Pigment ink print / Chromogenic print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 37.5 in. / 40 x 50 in. / 48 x 60 in.
Steve Fitch
Texan Motel, Highway 64, Raton, New Mexico, December 19, 1980
Pigment ink print / Chromogenic print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 37.5 in. / 40 x 50 in. / 48 x 60 in.
Steve Fitch
AA Motel, Highway 6, Holdrege, Nebraska, 1981
Pigment ink print / Chromogenic print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 37.5 in. / 40 x 50 in. / 48 x 60 in.
Steve Fitch
Motels
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Grand View Motel, Highway 87, Raton, New Mexico, December 18, 1980
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Starlite Motel, Highway 60, Mesa, Arizona, December 28
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Capri Motel, Highway 87, Raton, New Mexico
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Blue Swallow Motel, Highway 66, Tucumcari, New Mexico, July
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Bel Shore Motel sign, Highway 80, Deming, New-Mexico
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Arrow Motel, Highway 285, Espanola, New Mexico
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El Kapp Motel, HIghway 64, Raton, New Mexico
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Grand View Motel, Highway 66, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Motel, Highway 287, Hedley, Texas, January 8
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Texan Motel, Highway 64, Raton, New Mexico, December 19
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AA Motel, Highway 6, Holdrege, Nebraska
Diesels and Dinosaurs
Steve Fitch
Dinosaur, Highway 40, Vernal, Utah, 1974
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Snakepit Operator, Highway 66, Sayre, Oklahoma, 1973
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Victory Drive-in Theater, San Fernando Valley, California, 1973
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Chalk Hill Drive-in Theater, Highway 80, Dallas, Texas, 1973
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Hickory Drive-in theater, Sharon, Pennsylvania, 1975
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Circle Drive-in Theater, Highway 81, Waco, Texas, 1973
Pigment ink print / gelatin silver print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Drive-in Theatre, Highway I-10, Loma Linda Califonia, 1974
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Drive-in theater, San Antonio, Texas, 1973
Undefined
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Van Nuys Drive-in Theater, Highway I-5, Van Nuys, California, 1973
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Highway 39 Drive-in Theater, Orange County, California, 1973
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Linda Kay Drive-in Theater, Highway 175, Dallas, Texas,, 1973
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
El Rancho Drive-in theater, Dalhart, Texas, 1974
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Motel Signs, Highway 80, Cheyenne, Wyoming, 1974
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Motel sign, Highway 101, Ukiah, California, 1973
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Super Skyway Drive-in Theater, Highway I-78, Allentown, Pennsylvania, 1973
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Snakepit Operator, Highway 66, Sayre, Oklahoma, 1972
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Gas Station, Highway 40, Jensen, Utah, 1971
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Diorama, Highway I-75, Gaylord, Michigan, 1973
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Motel, Highway 66, Holbrook, Arizona, 1973
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Motel, Highway 80, Gila Bend, Arizona, 1973
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Truckstop Waitress, Highway 66, Gallup, New Mexico, 1972
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Truckstop, Highway 58, Bakersfield, California, 1972
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Sign, Highway 80, Elko, Nevada, 1974
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Truckstop Sign, Highway 86, Benson, Arizona, 1974
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Chalk Hill Drive-in Theater, Highway 80, Dallas, Texas, 1973
Pigment ink print / Gelatin Silver Print
20 x 24 in. / 30 x 26 in.
Steve Fitch
Diesels and Dinosaurs
-
Dinosaur, Highway 40, Vernal, Utah
-
Snakepit Operator, Highway 66, Sayre, Oklahoma
-
Victory Drive-in Theater, San Fernando Valley, California
-
Chalk Hill Drive-in Theater, Highway 80, Dallas, Texas
-
Hickory Drive-in theater, Sharon, Pennsylvania
-
Circle Drive-in Theater, Highway 81, Waco, Texas
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Drive-in Theatre, Highway I-10, Loma Linda Califonia
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Drive-in theater, San Antonio, Texas
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Van Nuys Drive-in Theater, Highway I-5, Van Nuys, California
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Highway 39 Drive-in Theater, Orange County, California
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Linda Kay Drive-in Theater, Highway 175, Dallas, Texas,
-
El Rancho Drive-in theater, Dalhart, Texas
-
Motel Signs, Highway 80, Cheyenne, Wyoming
-
Motel sign, Highway 101, Ukiah, California
-
Super Skyway Drive-in Theater, Highway I-78, Allentown, Pennsylvania
-
Snakepit Operator, Highway 66, Sayre, Oklahoma
-
Gas Station, Highway 40, Jensen, Utah
-
Diorama, Highway I-75, Gaylord, Michigan
-
Motel, Highway 66, Holbrook, Arizona
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Motel, Highway 80, Gila Bend, Arizona
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Truckstop Waitress, Highway 66, Gallup, New Mexico
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Truckstop, Highway 58, Bakersfield, California
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Sign, Highway 80, Elko, Nevada
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Truckstop Sign, Highway 86, Benson, Arizona
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Chalk Hill Drive-in Theater, Highway 80, Dallas, Texas
Vintage Prints
Steve Fitch
Capri Motel, Highway 87, Raton, New Mexico, 1980
Vintage Ektacolor contact print
8 x 10 in.
Steve Fitch
Blue Swallow Motel, Highway 66, Tucumcari, New Mexico, July, 1990
Vintage Ektacolor contact print
8 x 10 in.