Jessica Prugh: Highway Hypnosis

Jessica Prugh's work explores themes of nostalgia and wanderlust. Highway Hypnosis is a quiet road trip crisscrossing through the Midwest and South made over the last 3 years. It is an ongoing body of work that explores the vast, diverse American landscape by car.

Due to the booming post-war economy and driven in part by the automobile industry, the U.S. road trip became a popular summer vacation activity after World War II. Much of what Prugh has documented in her photography reflects the many ups and downs in the economy as reflected by the ever-changing roadside. Fruit and firework stands, “world’s largest” tourist attractions, vintage motels, hand-painted signs and other assorted Americana feature prominently in her work.

Growing up in Metro Detroit, Jessica was inspired by car culture from a young age and at different times in her life she has lived near some of America’s most iconic highways, including U.S. 1, Route 66, Interstate 10 and Woodward Avenue. This background has served as the motivation and inspiration for most of her photographic work.

Prugh has published two zines of her work: A View of the Lincoln Highway through Illinois, and Highway Hypnosis. Her work has been shown at Filter Photo Gallery, Chicago. She has an upcoming show at South x Southeast Photo Gallery in Molena, Georgia.