The intersection of car & art: Dream Cars at the High Museum of Art

The car I drive is never something that I’ve worried about too much; as long as it gets me from point A to B.  My father has the car bug, that desire to get the newest, latest vehicle that can do things slightly better than last year’s model.   He didn’t pass that gene to me.   I am however, into the weird and creative.  Dream Cars, the new exhibit this summer at the High Museum of Art is an art exhibit for gear heads, surrealists, engineers and pop culture people.

Dream Cars is at the High Museum until September 7 and has vehicles that should not exist.  They look too weird, like something from a Terry Gilliam movie that was cut due to budget concerns.  You’ll see a couple cars that look like James Bond vehicles from the 60’s or bubble cars from a sci-fi movie.  They’re beautiful, odd and in perfect condition.

Look at those two cars.  It’s as if a production designer for Buck Rodgers was momentarily given a huge budget, had Detroit (or whoever) build one and then stopped.  Now imagine a room full of these cars and you’ve got an idea of what Dream Cars is about.

All of the vehicles have a small boiler plate written down about them.   It includes their production year and a bit about why the vehicle is famous, rare or almost made history, but then was hidden in a Paris warehouse for decades.

 

Be sure to look at the photos that document the trail of each vehicle.  Dream Cars does an excellent job of explaining the cars and why they deserve to be there, even if they look relatively ordinary in comparison.

Of course, here ordinary is relative.  This Porsche that was never put into production is ordinary, but you’ve never seen anything like it.

Dream Cars at the High Museum is included with your entrance fee.  It’s OK for any and all ages.  Having said that, we took our 2 year old and he wasn’t in the mood to be in a quiet museum.  So he proceeded to yell, run and act like a 2 year old that needs a nap.  Suffice it to say, we couldn’t stay that long because a yelling toddler is only made worse by a room with an echo.