There are many cars that are considered works of art. Last year, the Portland Art Museum here in Portland, Oregon hosted an exhibit of some of the rarest and most beautiful cars in the world called “Allure of the Automobile”.
Perfectly restored, these cars stood out from the rest of the automotive landscape. There was no denying the care and craftsmanship that went into the evocative lines and undeniable presence of the cars that went on display. They transcended the mechanized world and entered the art realm.
What about a car that isn’t as widely heralded as a visual design masterpiece like the Ferrari Dino? Can it become art?
It already has. Well, one at least. And it’s totaled.
Yes, an unidentified Greek art collector just paid $250,000 for the wrecked Ferrari Dino GT4 that you see above, according to Bloomberg. The 1993 work from Bertrand Lavier, titled “Dino”, was sold at Foire Internationale d’Art Contemporain (FIAC) in Paris last week as contemporary art.
While I am initially shocked by the concept, upon further inspection, I see what the arties are on about. There’s something about the form that jumps out at you. Perhaps it’s the red paint marked by dings that reveal bare metal or perhaps the partially torn out windshield that gives it that certain je ne sais quoi.
I’ve long imagined displaying a rare but maltreated motorcycle as art in my apartment. This takes that idea to a whole new wondrous level. Why spend $250k on a running Ferrari when you can have one as art? Frankly, with a wrecked Ferrari art car will make you look far less dorky than a driving one anyway.
(Main photo credit: Car Scoops)
(Secondary photo credit: Scott Reyburn/Bloomberg)
