‘The Allure of The Automobile’ exhibition at Atlanta's High Museum of Art will feature the 1938/39 Type 64 Porsche plus 17 of the world’s finest cars.
The Allure of the Automobile, coming to the High Museum of Art on March 21, is sponsored by Porsche and will feature some of the world’s most important vehicles. Among these spectacular vehicles from both sides of the Atlantic will be a 71-year old Porsche that is considered the precursor of all Porsches — the 1938/39 Type 64.
This incredible machine is the only prewar Porsche and has never been exhibited outside of Germany. It will be carefully removed from its perch at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart and flown to Atlanta for the exhibition that begins on March 21 and ends on June 20. Porsche is also displaying another historic car, the 1953 Porsche 550 Le Mans coupe, on loan from Miles Collier’s private collection in Naples, Florida.
Sometimes referred to as “rolling sculptures,” the cars of the exhibition showcase innovative engineering, uncompromising workmanship and breakthrough design. When viewed as pieces of art, they give admirers a completely new way of looking at the great design periods of our time, spanning the movements from the 1930s to the mid-1960s.
“Our visitors will be surprised to find that today’s vehicles come from a legacy of beauty and innovation comparable to the finest decorative arts that may be found in museum collections,” said Michael E. Shapiro, Director of the High Museum of Art. “This exhibition will showcase the greatest feats of engineering and luxury design from 1930 to 1965, when cars became synonymous with success, power and wealth. Created for the privileged few, the luxurious, custom-built automobiles embodied speed, style and elegance, and influenced art, architecture, fashion and design.”
The Allure of the Automobile is being sponsored by Porsche Cars North America (PCNA), which is headquartered in Atlanta and is celebrating the brand’s 60th anniversary of selling cars in the U.S.
“The partnership with the High Museum of Art, one of the world’s renowned art museums, is a perfect fit for us,” said Detlev von Platen, President and CEO of PCNA. “This incredible exhibition is a celebration of ground-breaking design and engineering -- a theme that resonates throughout our brand.”
As a focal point of the exhibition, the one-of-a-kind Porsche Type 64 is a unique object in automotive history. It is unlike any other car in the show; in fact it is not actually a car at all, but a hand built, aluminum shell that represents the essence of Porsche design. Even today, when new Porsches are being developed, designers still look to the Type 64 to remind them of the brand’s unique legacy.
Iconic cars from the golden age of automobile design will join the Type 64. Included are masterpieces by Bugatti, Duesenberg, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, Pierce Arrow, Packard, Cadillac, Tucker and others. This first-of-its-kind exhibition traces the evolution of the motorcar from the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s, revealing the contrasts between American and European designs, the influence of decorative arts and design and the significant changes in automotive styling and engineering both before and after World War II.
The first part of the exhibition will spotlight the custom coachwork, art-inspired styling, luxury and opulence of vehicles from the pre-war era. The second segment of the exhibition focuses on how the industry shifted in the post-war years, with the Europeans moving towards smaller, sportier models, while the American manufacturers concentrating on mass-producing cars for a booming economy.
To learn more about the High Museum of Art and the exhibition, please visit: www.High.org
For more information about Porsche vehicles, please visit: http://www.porsche.com/usa/