“Dream Cars” showcases some of the most unique vehicles ever created by top names in the automotive field, including General Motors, Cadillac and Chrysler. Along with conceptual drawings and scale models, the exhibition explores the evolution of revolutionary automobile design that pushed the limits of the imagination and shaped the future of the industry.
“As ‘Racing Capital of the World,’ Indianapolis is a natural fit for this exhibition,” said Dr. Charles L. Venable, director and CEO at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. “The IMA is recognized as a leading museum in the field of industrial design and we are thrilled to pay tribute to Indianapolis‘ rich automotive history by bringing these legendary vehicles to the city at exactly the time when all auto eyes are on us.”
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race is held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway every May.
General Motors coined the term “dream car” in 1953 as a reference to concept cars –experimental vehicles that challenged the status quo with their radical designs. As testing grounds for innovation, concept cars are a platform for automakers and independent designers to experiment with technology and explore cutting-edge styling and design aesthetics. Most concept cars are never intended for mass production, but instead are unique glimpses into the future possibilities of automotive design.
“Dream Cars” features American and European concept car designs dating back to the 1930s. Exhibition highlights include:
- Paul Arzens’ L’Oeuf électrique (1942), an electric bubble car designed by Arzens for his personal use in Paris during the German occupation.
- Marcello Gandini’s Lancia (Bertone) Stratos HF Zero (1970), a wedge-shaped car that is only 33-inches tall. Its coachbuilder, Nuccio Bertone, famously drove it under a security barrier when he first demonstrated it to Lancia executives.
- William Stout’s Scarab (1936), the genesis of the contemporary minivan.
- Ralph Roberts’ and Alex Tremulis’ Chrysler Thunderbolt (1941), touted by Chrysler as “The Car of the Future,” it was the first American car to feature an electrically operated retractable hardtop and disappearing headlamps.
- Gordon Buehrig’s Tasco (1948), featuring a leather-coated driveshaft and unique T-top roof with removable panels.
- Harley J. Earl’s, Robert F. “Bob” McLean’s and General Motors Styling Section staff’s Firebird I XP-21 (1953), the first gas turbine-powered automobile ever built and tested in the U.S.
“This is an exhibition unlike any other in the history of the IMA,“ Venable said. “Dream Cars challenges the idea of ‘art’ by encouraging visitors to look at exceptional automobiles as rolling sculpture that evoke the possibilities for experimentation, innovation and beauty. These revolutionary designers were, like many great artists, pushing traditional limits and forging new visions of the future.”
The exhibition will feature a Car Design Studio where visitors can explore the process of automobile design through engaging, hands-on activities. An iPad app will also accompany the exhibit and include information about the cars’ hidden features and interiors, historic footage and interviews with leading automobile designers.
“Dream Cars” will be on display in the IMA’s Allen Whitehill Clowes Special Exhibition Gallery through Aug. 23.
“Dream Cars: Innovative Design, Visionary Ideas” is organized by the Indianapolis Museum of Art in conjunction with the High Museum of Art, Atlanta. The exhibition is curated by Sarah Schleuning, curator of decorative arts and design at the High Museum of Art, in consultation with award-winning automotive writer and IMA guest curator, Ken Gross. The exhibition premiered at the High Museum of Art in May.
This exhibition is supported by the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation. Interpretation materials and content were created with the support of an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE
