Tuesday, June 10, 2014

A Dream Come True

The highly anticipated and thus far wildly successful exhibition Dream Cars: Innovative Design, Visionary Ideas is—especially for this auto enthusiast—spectacular! Driving around town in any of these 17 beauties, currently on display at the High Museum of Art, would make even Atlanta rush hour a splendid experience...it'd be a dream come true.


Dream Cars, High Museum of Art
Dream Cars, High Museum of Art

I'm going to share with you photos of only a few of the cars. That way you'll still have plenty to see when you go to the exhibit yourself...and you do want to go to this one!

There are a number of events specific to the exhibition, one of which would be a great Fathers Day outing. This Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 p.m., there's a tour of Dream Cars led by exhibition curator Sarah Schleuning. And if you want to throw in a little something extra, the exhibition catalogue is stunning.


Dream Cars, High Museum of Art
Dream Cars, High Museum of Art

Have a look at the above car. That's the Norman Timbs' Special (1947). Would you believe that it was a backyard project? It was!

It took Timbs 2.5 years to complete the project and approximately $10,000in 1947 dollars. That's more than just a hobby!

Professionally, Timbs was an automotive engineer, so he knew what he was doing. What I didn't know, but recently learned, was that he worked on the Tucker automobile. I had the wonderful joy of seeing one in Albany, Georgia, many, many moons ago—beautiful, beautiful car!


Dream Cars, High Museum of Art
Dream Cars, High Museum of Art

The Bugatti on exhibit looks like something Howard Hughes would have built or something right out of The RocketeerAnd I know a whole lot of Steampunkers who are going to LOVE this automobile!

Dream Cars, High Museum of Art
Dream Cars, High Museum of Art

I've tried to not pick a favorite, but the Bugatti speaks to me. Loudly! Everything about it is alluring, from its modern sleekness, to its obvious place in history, from the exquisite details to the comfort beckoning from inside...if I were offered to be able to drive home "only one" car from the exhibition, it would be the Bugatti. And what an awesome color, too!

Dream Cars, High Museum of Art
Dream Cars, High Museum of Art

If you've followed me for any length of time, you know how much I love making close-up photographs. There's so much to see in details. I love a gorgeous landscape photograph as much as the next guy, but I really like to explore up close. 

It's amazing what you can see in the details...in the case of the makers of each and every car in Dream Cars, you see passion, expertise, and love of design. And of course the love of cars.

Dream Cars, High Museum of Art
Dream Cars, High Museum of Art

These cars, created "from the early 1930s to the 21st Century, pushed the limits of imagination and foreshadowed the future of design with progressive and innovative ideas." - High Museum of Art

I love that there are a few cars in the exhibition that beckon to the future days of George Jetson, this rare Buick Centurion being one of them. This one actually brings to mind all kinds of associations.

The bubble roof makes me think of George Jetson's car. The front of the car, having recently gone swimming with the Whale Sharks, made me think of Manta Rays. And the back of it totally makes me think of the "jet" exhaust on the Batmobile. It's gorgeous inside and out!


Dream Cars, High Museum of Art
Dream Cars, High Museum of Art

The rare, and in some cases one-of-a-kind, automobiles in Dream Cars were designed by Ferrari, Bugatti, General Motors, Porsche and others. The newest car on display is a 2010 Porsche “Spyder 918 concept car”...AND...there's a contemporary design workshop.

Have you heard about the new Porsche Driving Center being built here in Atlanta?

The exhibition is truly spectacular! You'll want to give yourself plenty of time to explore. There's ample reading, there's an audio tour option, and these cars are packed with details that fascinate and cause you to marvel.


Dream Cars, High Museum of Art
Dream Cars, High Museum of Art

This car, Paul Arzens’ “L’Oeuf électrique” (1942), is an electric bubble car designed by Arzens for his personal use in Paris during the German occupation. The car is...adorable! And so far ahead of its time.

In the photo above, I knew I'd want to show some reference to demonstrate just how tiny this car is. You see the small Smart Car on roads today...Arzens' car is so much smaller! This is also the first time it's ever been in the United States, so it's a real treat to get to see it.

Even smaller...there's a car in the exhibition that's a mere 33 inches tall!


Dream Cars, High Museum of Art
Dream Cars, High Museum of Art

If minivans looked like William Stout’s “Scarab” (1936), the genesis of the contemporary minivan, EVERY family would be driving one! 

Of course there's more than the 17 spectacular automobiles. The show also features conceptual drawings—which immediately launch the imagination—and scale models, to demonstrate the stages of the design process.


Dream Cars, High Museum of Art
Dream Cars, High Museum of Art

Having owned two BMWs in my personal automotive history, Christopher Bangle’s BMW “GINA Light Visionary Model” (2001), is particularly fascinating for me. 

It's not only beautiful, it features an exterior made of fabric! Of course you can't touch the car, but the museum was brilliant to offer a big swatch of the fabric that visitors are invited to touch.

So, there you have it. How's that for a teaser of so many dreams come true?

Drive on over to the High Museum of Art to see Dream Cars: Innovative Design, Visionary Ideas, and be sure to get there before September 7.

No comments: