The National Mall, which stretches from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol and features most of the Smithsonian museums, is lined with hot dog wagons and food trucks, at least in better times. When last I saw them many of these trucks were extravaganzas of hand-painted signs promoting colorful snacks and refreshments. I fear photographed images are overtaking the paintings, but that’s life on the roadside, and at least they remain exuberantly colorful. Here are images from this portable, spontaneous art environment, August 2009 and July 2014.
Update
The last gasp of hand-painted signs on the National Mall food trucks, 2022. The last three trucks, with photographic imagery (shot in 2023), are still visually striking, but they lack the creative touch that the old paintings brought.
The Art of Street Food Gallery
