In 2018, the Kunstpalast Düsseldorf presented a major exhibition entitled "PS: Ich liebe Dich. Sports car design of the 1950s -1970s". This explored the question of whether a car - actually an everyday object - can be art. On a much smaller scale, but with a similar objective, Autoworld Brussels is now also exploring the theme of "Automotive design as art".
Twelve cars and two motorcycles are on display, with additional two-wheelers on the upper floor. In view of the comparatively small exhibition space, the presentation cannot be comprehensive a priori and requires prioritization. Visitors should take their time to look at the exhibits and, in particular, delve into the details. In doing so, they may ask themselves whether the object they are looking at is (already) art or not. However, our short tour of the exhibits is intended to be limited to impressions without any judgment.
Cars as art
Since automobiles by Carlo Abarth were presented in this very area shortly before, it makes sense to start here with the Cisitalia 202 SC from 1948 because of its connection to Cisitalia.
It is often noted that this was the first car to be exhibited in New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). But why? If you only define a design as successful when nothing can be left out, then the Cisitalia is undoubtedly a success. Designed by Giovanni Battista "Pinin" Farina, the car looks as if it has been cast from a single piece; it is completely straightforward, almost sparse and yet sporty and elegant.
The Jaguar E-Type designed by Malcolm Sayer also found its way into the MoMA. Even after six decades, this sports car with its extremely long hood has lost none of its appeal. Its curves complement each other to form an elliptical basic shape and the design appears timeless.
It is commendable that Autoworld is showing the Pegaso Z-102 "Thrill" once again, but now in this context. Designed for beauty contests, the strikingly black/red painted one-off built by Carozzeria Touring is particularly fascinating from the side and rear. This is particularly true of the rear pillar, which emphasizes the three-dimensionality of the vehicle and extends towards the rear as a fin, while at the same time allowing views through.
The design of the Lamborghini Miura, which is probably based on some early sketches by Giorgetto Giugiaro but was primarily created by Marcello Gandini, still looks breathtaking from every perspective, both overall and in details (such as the scaled blinds and the headlights with "eyelashes").
The design of the Lamborghini Miura is still effective today... It can be regarded as a brilliant achievement by Marcello Gandini.
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL "Gullwing" is also undoubtedly a design icon. These doors are so characteristic that the car is also referred to in a similar way in other languages. Understandably, the doors were not open during our visit. The body was designed by Friedrich Geiger and contains other characteristic features, such as the front ventilation grilles and the "lancets" above the wheel cut-outs.
Also iconic, timeless and with perfect proportions is the Ferrari 250 GT SWB from 1960. The example shown is painted light blue, perhaps allowing you to concentrate even better on the bodywork designed by Pininfarina than on a red car.
Let us now turn to the French cars. The Citroën DS 19, also known as "The Goddess", created by designer and sculptor Flaminio Bertoni, continues to impress. The crouched resting position of the large saloon, due to the hydropneumatics, is typical of the car, even if it is not a design feature. But the body shape and the details of the large Citroën are also unmistakable.
The mighty Delage D8-120 with its long tapered rear end, which would probably be called a "fastback" today, is a quasi representative of the Art Deco style. The vehicle, built by Pourtout, was designed by Georges Paulin, who also designed the very similar Bentley "Embiricos". The elongated, teardrop-shaped fenders and the split, almost heart-shaped rear window are also characteristic features.
Art on cars
The radiator grille of the Avions Voisin C 14 Lumineuse may be considered a small work of art, but the shape of the car, which is otherwise housed in the "National Automobile Museum Loh Collection", is not. At least not if you compare it with other eccentric models by Voisin.
Instead, the focus is on the geometric painting in the Art Deco style. It goes back to the painter Sonia Delaunay (1885-1979) and was realized by the Dutch artist Bernadette Ramaekers in six months of painstaking manual work. Visitors should not miss the view of the interior of the car - also Art Deco.
However, why another car, a Bugatti 35 A, had to be presented with a similar livery is not immediately clear to the visitor. In any case, this is the first Bugatti that was designed as an "art car" back in the 1990s.
The American design is represented by a Chevrolet Corvette C2 with a split rear window, which can be found in the oversized toy box of the Belgian automobile association BEHVA.
The most recent design is represented by an Audi TT, which can be found in the bistro. Stylistically, the car can be seen as "Bauhaus on wheels".
Finally, the design of the two motorcycles on show should be mentioned briefly, even if it is outside the focus of zwischengas.com. The shape of the red Ducati 748 desmoquattro is undoubtedly impressive and the extremely stylish Aston Martin AMB 001 motorcycle created in collaboration with Brough Superior (shown is no. 63 of 100) is something that very few people will ever have seen. All in all, this is a small but worthwhile exhibition at Autoworld.
As always, it is worth taking a tour of the museum afterwards. In addition to the exhibition, you can find a Citroën DS 21, another Pegaso Z-102 or a Delage D8 with bodywork by d'Ieteren one floor up. Or perhaps discover your own personal automotive work of art.
Further information on the "When Automotive Design Becomes Art" exhibition, which runs until December 15, 2024, can be found on the Autoworld Brussels website.
