If you like getting “lost” on a road trip, taking the long way there, try driving on U.S. Highway 90 south of Van Horn in far West Texas.
Near Valentine is the permanent art installation Prada Marfa. The faux “store,” complete with a showroom of the designer brand’s famous shoes and hand bags, was created by artist duo Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset. A rancher’s fence surrounding the selfie magnet is filled with locks inscribed with expressions of love.
Close to Marfa, you’ll find on the side of the road the larger-than-life, freestanding murals of James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor and other icons from the 1950s movie Giant on the location where the film was shot. The murals are by John Cerney, who has a way of incorporating two-dimensional artworks into different landscapes, creating much larger three-dimensional spaces. If you listen closely, you’ll hear music playing from a roadside speaker.
About five minutes down the road you’ll come across a mid-20th-century piece of art. The old neon Stardust Motel sign is still standing, though the motel is long gone. A small red light illuminates the sign against the dark skies.
