In 2010 there was an exhibit at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta titled “The Allure of the Automobile”. Jackie and I attended, and basically got kicked out. More on that later…
The exhibit featured a 1935 Duesenberg owned by Clark Gable. There were many other beautiful automobiles on display, including a 1957 Jaguar XK and a 1953 Porsche 550 LeMans, both owned by Steve McQueen. The purpose of the exhibit was to feature the automobile as art. “Rolling Sculptures”, as they were billed.
Granted now, these were not your grandfather’s Oldsmobiles. These were dream machines even in their day. But, in presenting the automobile as art, the Museum and the exhibit were spot on. These incredible machines were created in a time when the designers and engineers had complete and utter creative freedom. Long before the government got involved and made our cars a lot more safe and a lot less fun, automobile manufacturers competed with each other at a mind boggling rate. The results were styling masterpieces. The long hoods and sweeping lines of the Duesenbergs and the Packards. The oversized fenders and curves of the ’40 Ford Coupe. The fins of the ’57 Chevy and the ’59 Cadillac. The sleekness of the Corvettes and the style and power of the Mustangs. Rolling sculptures indeed. A style of art in its purest form, incredible blends of design and engineering.
So, you ask, how did Jackie and I get kicked out? The ’35 Duesenberg pictured above was the first car you saw when you walked in the exhibit. There were velvet ropes around it, of course. There were also large signs stating that there was “NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED”. No problem, except that the exhibit hall was dark, with minimal light over the cars. Looking for an abstract shot, Jackie leaned out over the rope and took a shot of the chrome strips at the bottom of the back fender meeting the running board. “Excuse me, ma’am,” said one of the Car Nazis, “you’re Crossing The Line, you can’t do that.” “But I just leaned over the rope,” said Jackie. “That’s Crossing The Line. You can’t do that.” A few minutes later, she held her camera aloft in an attempt to get a shot of the interior. “Ma’am, you’re Crossing The Line,” barked the Car Nazi. “Please don’t make me warn you again.”
The third car we came to was a heart stopping 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster. It was in a dark corner with accent lighting above and around it. My little 5 megapixel HP point and click camera simply would not function without the flash. I asked the volunteer standing next to the car why flash was not allowed. He was a nice young man, and told me that “repeated flashes day after day would damage the paint on the cars.” “Seriously??” I asked. “I know, I know,” he said, “but that’s what I was told and I’m just doing my job.”
The last two cars in the exhibit were the Tucker 48 owned by the Cofer family, and a 1959 Corvette Sting Ray. I wanted shots of the Tucker, Jackie went to the Sting Ray. I turned on my camera and got a good angle shot of the front of the Tucker. The flash went off and I immediately turned it off. Just then a fat security guard with a uniform, a badge and no gun who obviously viewed himself as Shaft approached me and said, “You gotta turn that flash off.” “Yes, sir, ” I replied politely. “It went off accidentally, and I turned it off. I’m sorry.” “You gotta turn that flash off.” “Yes, sir.” I turned it off, and Shaft returned to his post on his stool. I walked around the car, snapping more pictures. The next thing I know, Shaft is standing next to me again. “If I sees that flash go off one more time, I’m conxifatin’ that camera.” “But it’s turned off,” I said, showing him the switch on the back. “And if you keep mouthin’ at me, I’m gonna personally throw you outta here my own self,” warned Shaft. I went and found Jackie. “Let’s get out of here,” I said, “that big fat security guard over there just threatened to conxifate my camera.” “Yeah, we’d better,” she said. “I just Crossed The Line again.” Scorned as scofflaws, we snuck out with our tails between our legs and went to The Varsity.
The High featured a similar exhibit four years later. “Dream Cars” featured concept cars designed and built by major manufacturers and independent designers alike. Jackie and I went, and took her son Lars. We didn’t take our cameras. We didn’t Cross The Line. I looked for my buddy Shaft, but he wasn’t there. He was at The Varsity… Still Cruisin’! –J.
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