M. Earl Williams, Twentiysix Gasoline Stations in Grand Theft Auto V, 2014

Ed Ruscha’s 26 Gasoline Stations (1963) is a seminal work in conceptual photography, featuring a series of black-and-white photographs documenting gasoline stations along Route 66 from Los Angeles to Oklahoma City. Characterised by its mundane subject matter and minimalistic approach, Ruscha’s work reflects on the banal aspects of American life and culture. The repetitive and impersonal nature of these images challenges conventional notions of art, emphasising the aesthetic value of everyday objects and scenes.

M. Earl Williams’ project reinterprets Ruscha’s concept within the virtual world of GTA V’s San Andreas. By using a 4x5 large format camera to capture images from his television screen, Williams creates a dialogue between the physical and virtual worlds, blurring the boundaries between reality and simulation. Williams explicitly addresses the idea of mediated reality. His method of capturing images through a TV screen introduces an additional layer of mediation, reflecting how our experiences are increasingly filtered through screens, interfaces, and devices. This adds a meta-narrative to the work, commenting on the pervasive influence of technology on our perception of the lived life.

Additionally, Williams’ work engages with the concept of nostalgia and memory. The visual stimuli provided by the photographs trigger personal memories and emotions, similar to how video games create immersive experiences that resonate with players’ real-life experiences. This interplay between visual art and interactive media highlights their shared goal: to evoke and manipulate the viewer’s sense of reality, demonstrating that to recall is to transform. Above all, Williams’ cultural heritage as an enrolled tribal member of The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon enriches his artistic perspective, bringing a unique dimension to his work. This heritage imbues his art practice with a sense of place and identity, particularly relevant in the context of his 26 Gasoline Stations project. The historical connection between fossil fuel extraction and the displacement of Native American communities adds a deeper layer to his reinterpretation.

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, policies such as the Indian Removal Act and the establishment of reservations often coincided with the discovery of valuable natural resources, including oil and gas, leading to the forced relocation of many Native American tribes to less fertile and resource-rich lands. Fossil fuel extraction and transportation have significant environmental impacts that disproportionately affect Native American lands. Issues such as oil spills, pipeline leaks, and water contamination threaten the health and livelihoods of Native American communities, who often rely on their surrounding natural resources for sustenance and cultural practices. Moreover, for many Native American tribes, land and natural resources hold deep cultural and spiritual significance. The disruption caused by fossil fuel extraction not only affects the physical environment but also has profound implications for the cultural and spiritual practices of Native American communities. Protecting the land is often seen as a sacred duty, integral to maintaining their cultural identity and heritage. By drawing on his heritage and the environmental and cultural impacts of fossil fuels, Williams’ artistic replay serves as a nuanced critique of contemporary digital culture, merging personal history with broader environmental and sociopolitical issues through a double appropriation: GTA V and Ed Ruscha’s 'travel photographs.'

More by M. Earl Williams: mearlwilliams.com