Many would argue that automobiles in themselves represent an art form. In fact, in 1951, New York’s Museum of Modern Art held an exhibit of landmark automotive designs, highlighted by a Figoni & Falaschi-bodied Talbot–Lago T23 goutte d’eau coupe. But others see the automobile as but a blank canvas, which they are free to imbue with a creative expression unconnected to the underlying machine. Many of these, by popular artists, have gained notoriety in both art and motoring circles, and I’m sure you are familiar with one or more. But which one really speaks to you?
Calder, Hockney, even hipster diva Andy Warhol – they all splashed some paint on BMW racers, and immediately increased their value one hundred fold. Other, less well known artists regularly use the auto as a both canvas and mobile gallery. Whether pens, or pennies, computer keyboard keys or the detritus of society, there seems nothing that these budding Bob Ross’ won’t hot-glue to their rides in outlet of their creative drive.
Those cars usually end up in the junk yard rather than the art museum, but even there, their novelty attracts attention and the occasional appreciative nod. Of course, Pick-A-Part critiques are not what their creators had in mind when the vested their time and artistic expression in the work, but then, if they could have paid all those parking tickets they wouldn’t have been starving artists now would they?
So, amateur, undiscovered, or pretentious art-house favorite, there’s lots of art cars out there from which to choose. One of these must have tickled your fancy – oh perhaps not enough to replace that dogs playing poker painting you cherish so much, but maybe as an addition to your collection? Are you partial to the big guns, or do you like the whimsy of something with a dadaist’s perspective ? Each one is valid in its own way because, to quote Plato:
Remember how in that communion only, beholding beauty with the eye of the mind, he will be enabled to bring forth, not images of beauty, but realities (for he has hold not of an image but of a reality), and bringing forth and nourishing true virtue to become the friend of God and be immortal, if mortal man may.
Which is another way of saying, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So with that in mind, which art car do you behold as being the most beautiful?
Image sources: [theage.com, texastravel.com]
<img src=http://ploader.net/files/5fd8b942ecb5289bf20b0f2cfe27d235.jpg>
Roy Lichtenstein
<img src="http://www.yatzer.com/assets/Image/2009/march/BMW_art_car/BMW_Art_Car_Installation_Grand_Central_Terminal_Manhattan_at_yatzer_6.jpg" width="500">
The Warhol M1 is pretty hot.
I changed my mind…
<img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/cars/1/7/7/2/2/ag_uberbird_rtfrt.JPG">
You'd be impressed with my artistic skills, as I hand-drew on the "1"s needed to make us "143".
(was too late in the draw to get 43).
Also repainted the wing and our various scuffs.
In regard to BMW's Art Cars, I prefer Alexander Calder's CSL. In general, I like this piece of rolling sculpture by Sergio Scaglietti.
<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4797181384_03f883cbf9_z.jpg">
This one: <img src="http://www.sashimitabernaclechoir.org/photos-big/InParade_PastTheCrowd.jpg"> ” target=”_blank”>http://www.sashimitabernaclechoir.org/
I saw a video of the STC car on BoingBoing, and I gotta say, it was f***ing creepy.
I'd also vote for the Shashimi Tabernacle Choir. With its combination of over-the-top weirdness and techie cool, it's a winner.
However, in the early 90s, one of my buds had a 74 Mustang that was sky blue and burned more 30w than gas which inspired him to paint it up with a city skyline along the bottom half so he could recreate the smog haze of the day. If I had a pic, that would be my vote.
The Muppets Electric Mayhem Bus.
Dr Teeth!
One of the few art cars I've seen in person was Janis Joplin's 356C, which a roadie painted for her.
<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2602/3692622770_42118d7ede.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 375px; border: 0" alt="imgTag" />
I'm not sure it's my favorite, that might go to the Cadillac ranch. Hey, you never specified that the cars still had to be drivable.
<img src="http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/images/tx/TXAMAcaddy1.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 160px; border: 0" alt="imgTag" />
This picture does no justice to how magnificent this car is!!
Rusty, the e28 built by Stanceworks.:
<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2756/4334716077_7949610fb5.jpg">
http://vimeo.com/11016295
Not an art car in the traditional sense, but if you back away from it just being a performance car build and think of it as a multi-faceted piece of art it's pretty cool, IMO.
There are two kinds of art cars: i-stuck-a-bunch-of-random-crap-on-my-beater, and whimsically engineered custom vehicles. The former are lame. The latter are awesome. Two of the best:
<img src="http://thepirata.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/the_phone_car_05.jpg">
<img src="http://www.baronmargo.com/pm1.jpg">
What the heck is that second one?? I love the little wings for slicing pedestrians in half before they can interfere with the front suspension.
It's by Baron Margo, who is seriously weird. Mostly in a good way.
Check out http://baronmargo.com
Wow, lots of great stuff at the link. Too bad there's no detailed info about the vehicles, though.
Ganesha The Car
I also have to say that the Sashimi car is my fave: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYlSTvAW1Po
Yeah, there's a fine line, to be sure.
We've all seen too many otherwise nice cars trashed for the sake of getting a "trashed" look, which is really unfortunate.
check out the trailer for the new film on Art Cars "Automorphosis" On tour with it now http://www.automorphosis.com
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-tMO-5sCacQ&hl=en_US&fs=1?rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-tMO-5sCacQ&hl=en_US&fs=1?rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
Oops here's the link for "Automorphosis" trailer
[youtube -tMO-5sCacQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tMO-5sCacQ youtube]
Looks good. Let's hear it for the "I-stuck-a-bunch-of-random-crap-on-my-beater" cars!
the bubble truck a daily driver and an interactive art car[youtube 7t37Bzq_HlQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t37Bzq_HlQ youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96eQlKqqpjY&mo…
The Propeller Car from Kansas has no transmission & is powered by a Lycoming airplane engine turning a 6 foot wood prop.
In the winter it rides on 3 skies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZXnWWYiUf0
Rex Rosenberg's Chewbru is one of my favorites.
He takes it to art car events all over the US.
In lieu of the traditional nod to the psychedelic 917, I am going to go with:
<img src="http://www.porsche.com/filestore.aspx/normal.jpg?pool=germany&type=image&id=racinghistory-1995-911gt2evo&lang=none&filetype=normal&version=0" />
My favorite car is the one covered in 10,000 pens the mercedes pens
http://artcar.blogspot.com/2008/05/mercedes-pens-…
The Grape
Oh, yes. ANOTHER Reverend Chas…
I have to Vote for The Sashimi Tabernackle Choir. It makes me happy every time I see it and hear it. It must be seen in action to get the full effect. of all of those singing lobsters and fish. Though I also love WT's work. His work is a piece of sculptural art.
<img src="http://www.theconnecticutirish.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/art_carney.jpg">
Plus, he ruined everything:
” target=”_blank”>http://paxarcana.wordpress.com/2009/02/18/art-carney-ruined-everything/
I like to light up the night in my artcar.
<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2262/2343775536_e12cc8c859.jpg" />
Ummm…the current Koonz car is an M3 GTS, not a 6.
Yup, it ran at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Well, it did until it crashed 5 hours in, then spent a bunch of time getting repaired, then developed mysterious technical issues and finally just pulled over and shut down. But, it looked good doing it!
<img> <a href="http://;http://www.flickr.com/photos/35339500@N00/4852845455/” target=”_blank”>;http://www.flickr.com/photos/35339500@N00/4852845455/
Sorry about that. Anyway, I vote for Some Kind of Bat Car.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/35339500@N00/4852845…
Here ya go:
<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4852845455_aae717dea4.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="DSC_0740" />
Hmm, faves, too many to list, but here's a few:
Rebecca Caldwell's CARTHEDRAL (spectacular!)
Harrod Blank's CAMERA VAN (love the precision & fact that it really takes pictures)
Charles Hunt's THE GRAPE (sort of Mad Max w/ a better sense of humour)
Julian Stock's SKULL TRUCK (New Orleans victim of Katrina)
Jose Benavides' Our LADY done in license plates.
Extremo the Clown's MSV
And yup, SASHIMI.
Mine are all the paint & 'glue crap on' variety. Haven't figured out how to upload images on this thing.
kelly
Well, I DID marry the Danger car…
Here are some of mine… Psychedelic Surfer Dude, etc
http://www.krop.com/robynnsanders/