Cars are one of the most ubiquitous images of our time. So much so that modern designers are waking up to the power of the wheel in the art world.
From galleries devoted to the classic mobile to artists using the bonnet for political purposes, the auto looks to be as omnipresent in art galleries as it is on the open road.
When Julian Opie crashed into the Tate Modern in 2004 with his wood sculpture of a Volvo car, he reiterated his peers’ declaration that the artist has a right to designate any everyday object a work of art.
His titling of the project You Are Driving A Volvo summed up what Opie was doing with his entire exhibition: by taking an object we see everyday – a skyscraper, a parked car – and simplifying it to give it the overall look of that found in instruction manuals and children’s books, these objects are no longer specifics, but stand for types. The Volvo, in this instance, becomes a pop image for a type of car. More on Opie, more on Tate.
The car isn’t just a symbol within art galleries. More and more museums are making space for the car as an object of beauty in itself. The Art Car Museum in Houston, Texas, flamboyantly celebrates the automobile in all its glory. Little known artists – including high school children – have gone to town on cars both classic and new, roadworthy and in parts to create some of the most flamboyant vehicles in existence. Others – including the artist of The Red Stiletto – have been inspired by the very fundamentals of the vehicle – four wheels – to bring a touch of the automobile to other everyday objects, in this case, a high-heeled shoe. More on the Art Car Museum
In another dazzling display of car-inspired artistry, a group of Cuban artists used a fleet of Soviet-era autos as their very canvases. In protest of the fact that most Cuban art is sold to tourists in Havana and otherwise confined to stuffy museums, the group applied their individual techniques to the cars before taking to the streets - and simply drove. The leader, prominent Cuban artist Eduardo Esposito, announced that the display amounted to the “longest gallery the world had ever seen – 300 kilometres”.
Looking to the future in terms of both the art world and motoring, concept cars are crossing the boundaries of technology and art. One-off design prototypes push the boundaries of our perceptions, which is arguably what art is all about.
Volvo’s design team have been doing this since 1933, continually unveiling concept cars in categories ranging from performance to adventure to safety, these one-off models show what’s possible in terms of style, design, IT systems and luxuries.
Find out more about Steve Mattin, Volvo's new Design Director
Please note Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of third party sites. Images courtesy of Tate and Volvo.
Since 1933 Volvo's design team have been exploring the future possibilities of the car and all its functions.
