Albuquerque Artist's Route 66 Artwork Vandalized

Graffiti damages new public sculpture just a week after installation.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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An Albuquerque artist named Rob Vanderslice is disappointed after his newly installed Route 66-themed public artwork was vandalized with graffiti just one week after it was put up near Central Ave. and Unser Blvd. Vanderslice had worked on the project for three months as the final installation of the city's Route 66 Remixed project, which was set to be unveiled this week before high winds postponed the event.

Why it matters

The vandalism is a setback for the city's efforts to highlight local art and culture along the historic Route 66 corridor, which has faced challenges with graffiti and property crime in recent years. Vanderslice hopes the incident can be turned into a teachable moment about respecting public art.

The details

Vanderslice received a photo on Tuesday showing the graffiti damage to his sculpture. He said the vandalism "really, really hurts us and the low rider community" who were proud of the new artwork meant to shine a positive light on Albuquerque. The city had planned to officially unveil the sculpture this week before the event was postponed due to high winds.

  • The sculpture was installed just one week ago.
  • Vanderslice received the photo of the vandalism on Tuesday.

The players

Rob Vanderslice

An Albuquerque artist who created the Route 66-themed public artwork that was vandalized.

City of Albuquerque

The local government that planned to unveil Vanderslice's sculpture as part of its Route 66 Remixed project.

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What they’re saying

“It's really, really hurts us and the low rider community, you know, this is something we're proud of. You know, we're trying to make the city, you know, all the craziness that goes on in the city, you know, it's cool to see things like this that kind of shine a positive light, and for somebody to come in and just disrespected is horrible.”

— Rob Vanderslice, Artist (KRQE)

What’s next

The city plans to unveil Vanderslice's sculpture at a later date once the graffiti damage has been addressed.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing challenges cities face in protecting public art installations from vandalism, even when the artwork is meant to celebrate local culture and history. Vanderslice hopes the perpetrator will come forward to take responsibility and that the community can use this as a chance to reinforce the importance of respecting shared public spaces.