Joe Andoe: Oklahoma City 1977

Explore the landscape of Oklahoma through the lens of American artist Joe Andoe

By Oklahoma City Museum of Art

Oklahoma City #2, from the portfolio OKC 1977 (1977, printed 2003) by Joe AndoeOklahoma City Museum of Art

Oklahoma City 1977

Joe Andoe's photographs capture a moment in time along Oklahoma's stretch of Route 66.

Oklahoma City #3, from the portfolio OKC 1977 (1977, printed 2003) by Joe AndoeOklahoma City Museum of Art

Early life

Joe Andoe was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on December 5, 1955.

Oklahoma City #11, from the portfolio OKC 1977 (1977, printed 2003) by Joe AndoeOklahoma City Museum of Art

Joe Andoe's artistic focus

Andoe is a painter known for his paintings of horses and the landscape.

Oklahoma City #5, from the portfolio OKC 1977 (1977, printed 2003) by Joe AndoeOklahoma City Museum of Art

From student to artist

Although Andoe is a well-known painter, he didn't begin making artwork until attending college at the University of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma City #6, from the portfolio OKC 1977 (1977, printed 2003) by Joe AndoeOklahoma City Museum of Art

Photographic beginnings

While in college, he received his first 35mm camera.

Oklahoma City #7, from the portfolio OKC 1977 (1977, printed 2003) by Joe AndoeOklahoma City Museum of Art

Roadside views

When traveling home, Andoe took these photographs out of the window of his moving car using Kodak Kodacolor film.

Oklahoma City #8, from the portfolio OKC 1977 (1977, printed 2003) by Joe AndoeOklahoma City Museum of Art

Oklahoma highways

These blurred photographs capture the landscape along the highways between Norman and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Oklahoma City #9, from the portfolio OKC 1977 (1977, printed 2003) by Joe AndoeOklahoma City Museum of Art

Route 66 views

They also document a moment in time along a significant portion of Route 66 in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma City #10, from the portfolio OKC 1977 (1977, printed 2003) by Joe AndoeOklahoma City Museum of Art

Focus on painting

After earning a Master's Degree in Art from the University of Oklahoma in 1981, he moved to New York the following year to focus on painting.

Oklahoma City #12, from the portfolio OKC 1977 (1977, printed 2003) by Joe AndoeOklahoma City Museum of Art

Printing the past

Andoe rediscovered these slides in 2003 and had them printed at Cody Color Photo Lab in New York.

Oklahoma City #13, from the portfolio OKC 1977 (1977, printed 2003) by Joe AndoeOklahoma City Museum of Art

Creating the portfolio

The seventeen prints became the Oklahoma City 1977 portfolio.

Oklahoma City #17, from the portfolio OKC 1977 (1977, printed 2003) by Joe AndoeOklahoma City Museum of Art

Evolving landscapes

Since these photographs were taken, the landscape of Norman, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa has rapidly evolved. Although known as a painter, these early photographs are important documentation of the influence of place on Andoe's work.

Credits: All media

The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.

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