Automania · MoMA New York

MoMA New York presents ‘Automania’

From July 4th, 2021 to January 2nd, 2022, the Museum of Modern Art in New York presents Automania, that focuses on the conflicted feelings (admiration and contempt, fascination and fear) that society shows towards cars and car culture.

Automania at the MoMA — installation viewHalas and Batchelor — Automania 2000–1963

Source: The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Images: Installation view of Automania, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, July 4, 2021 — January 2, 2022. © 2021 The Museum of Modern Art. Photo: Robert Gerhardt ·· Halas and Batchelor. Film still from Automania 2000. 1963. 35mm film transferred to video, 10 min. Directed by John Halas. Written by Joy Batchelor. Animated by Harold Whitaker. Art Directed by Tom Bailey. Composed by Jack King. The Museum of Modern Art, New York. © 1963 Halas and Batchelor

“Throughout the 20th century the car has inspired innumerable examples of innovation, social transformation, and critical debate among designers, architects, artists, filmmakers, and photographers”, explained Juliet Kinchin, former Curator of the museum, noting that, albeit cars have increased freedom and economic empowerment, they have also caused human suffering and environmental damage.

The exhibition examines the car “as a modern industrial product, transportation innovator, and style icon, as well as the generator of fatalities, traffic-choked environments, and ecological disaster in the oil age.” Automania shows a very diverse group of works, ranging from Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s “L’Automobiliste” (1898, print) to Andy Warhol’s “Orange Car Crash Fourteen Times” (1963, silkscreen ink on canvas)

The Cisitalia 202 GT (1946) from the MoMA’s collection is included in the exhibition, as well as the recently acquired Citroën DS 23 sedan (designed 1954–67) and a Porsche 911 coupé (1965), both of which are on view at the Museum for the first time

In addition to the accompanying exhibition catalogue, the MoMA will publish a new children’s book, “Cars! Cars! Cars!” by Kimi Weart, which invites young readers to imagine their own ideal car, thinking about the environment and the future.