The Electric Car Renews the Marriage of Speed and Art

The car, at a certain period in modern history, was more than just a means of transportation; it was a true escape that created more than one sensation: finally, man could achieve speeds impossible for his legs alone. Placed in a context like the early flights of airplanes, it seemed as if we were on the verge of competing with nature on equal terms.

The early prototypes of automobiles became synonymous with the future, freedom, and symbols for those who rejected the immobility of the past. Not surprisingly, the Futurists depicted the car as an expression of triumph, stating, 'The magnificence of the world has been enriched with a new beauty; the beauty of speed. A racing car with its hood adorned with big tubes like serpents with explosive breath (...) roaring, which seems to run on machine-gun fire, is more beautiful than the Victory of Samothrace,' indicating how Marinetti and his associates deified progress embodied by machines.

Over time, the automobile has been, at various times, a status quo, the representation of a social class (as seen in the economic boom depicted in Roy Liechtenstein's pop art), and in general, a new car has always been associated with technological and social progress (is it a coincidence that time travel in the 1980s was possible thanks to a car? Think of the DeLorean in Back to the Future).

In this artistic dimension where the car becomes a social viaticum, the Pop-Car initiative fits in. This year, it is curated by Turin-based designer Umberto Palermo, who, together with Antonio Perotti, conceived an exhibition on the 'Urban Mole,' an electric car delivered to 16 artists from 4 continents. They have reinterpreted the nature of the city car following the Bauhaus movement that developed in the early 20th century, experimenting with possible connections between figurative art and industrial product.

The exhibition is open until September 6th, aiming to revisit the concepts of the German school and update them by relying on artists ranging from pop, surrealism, and postmodernist influences, embracing various styles and currents. All with the purpose of emphasizing, through artistic means, the process of innovation and change that the automotive industry has been undergoing in recent years.

The electric revolution is also passing through the most powerful means of innovation, namely, art. Edilfar Rent allows you to experience electric driving with its rental offers tailored to your needs. Visit our website or come and visit us at our locations in Milan, Rome, and Modena.