The
car you are driving today will be a good source of many recyclable materials
tomorrow. In fact, around 80 percent of a car can be recycled, and much of it
takes place while your car is still in service through aftermarket recycling.
The National Corvette Museum’s new exhibit, Car Part Art, teaches visitors not
only about car recycling – but also demonstrates how one man’s trash is another
man’s treasure.
Over
70 works of art have come together to fill the Museum’s Exhibit Hall, from
Corvette hood liners serving as a canvas, to old rotors painted or welded or
backlit to create interesting sculptures. Works have been created by artists,
young and old, including area elementary, middle and high school students, to
seasoned professionals from Nashville, TN; Philadelphia, PA; Paducah, KY, and
more.
Guest
Curator Andee Rudloff, a professional artist, consultant and educator, worked
with the Museum to bring the exhibition together. “We started in April,
officially announcing the exhibit on Earth Day, and since then we’ve worked to
secure scrap car parts for artists, cultivated relationships between the
artists and the Corvette Museum, and shared our enthusiasm and excitement about
this new exhibition.”
The
excitement was evident at the exhibit’s grand opening reception on Friday,
September 18 when more than 40 of the participating artists, joined by their
family, friends and Museum guests, gathered to celebrate the art. “We decided
to recognize some of the exceptional pieces with out-of-the-box awards,” Andee
said. “We invited some people from the community with unique but relevant
backgrounds to serve as judges, and they carefully selected their favorites in
categories like “Best Illumination,” “Precision Award,” and “Most Unique Use of
Car Parts.”
The
largest art piece, and perhaps the most eye-catching for a Corvette Museum
visitor, is a 1960 Corvette inspired by art cars of greats like Britto, Warhol,
Calder and Haring. “I chose a motif that was in concert with the car itself,
addressing the contours, historical context, and luxurious nature of the
‘Vette,” said artist Christopher Hayes. The car was transported all the way
from Colorado, courtesy of Intercity Lines, and certainly earned the “Biggest
Impact” award.
Rounding
out the exhibit are five pieces on loan from Michelin – all entries in their
InTIREnational competition which challenges participants to create a piece of
art with an international theme using up to four scrap tires donated by
Michelin.
The
exhibit was made possible with the help of sponsors Michelin, PPG Automotive Refinish, US
Bank and Intercity Lines. Additionally, car parts were graciously donated by:
Ace Auto Salvage of Nashville; A & S Auto Glass of Nashville; C&H Truck
and Equipment; Corvette Central; Falloway Auto Parts; Final Finish of
Morgantown, KY; Franklin Automotive Center; General Motors Bowling Green
Assembly; Holley Performance Products; J.D. British Car Service; Midas; Parrish
Auto Service; Barry & Jackie Passmore (Russell Springs, KY); Service Kind
Collision Repair of Nashville; and Simpson County Tire and Auto.
The
Car Part Art exhibit runs through January 8, 2016 at the National Corvette
Museum and visitors are encouraged to vote for their favorite piece to receive
the “People’s Choice Award” at the end of the exhibit period. Learn more at www.carpartart.org.
