12 January 2015

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is delighted to announce its major exhibition and Australian exclusive for March 2015, Dream Machines: Drawings of the Great American Automobile.

Dream Machines: Drawings of the Great American Automobile presents 130 drawings from the great age of American car design from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. This will be the first major exhibition of original American car designs from the 1950's, 60's, and early 70's and one of the largest ever held. None of the works in Dream Machines have previously been seen in Australia.

Not only will visitors to Shepparton be able to see the original design sketches of post war American cars, but they will also be able to see up to 25 of the actual concept cars represented in the exhibition. To coincide with the exhibition at SAM, the Shepparton Motor Museum will present an exhibition of superb examples of vehicles depicted in the drawings, titled Dream Machines: The Cars. Both exhibitions will run con-currently and be co-ticketed, with an opening party and Show ‘n' Shine parade between the two venues on Saturday 14 March.  

Car design of the post-war era was characterised by a futuristic zeal that reflected the economic optimism of the period. Space exploration, developments in aviation and an appetite for science fiction informed the popular imagination, fuelling the work of visual artists employed to design the cars of the future.

In 1945, as World War II was coming to an end, car production resumed and automotive companies sought to capture this enthusiasm, encouraging their designers to produce drawings known as ‘dream cars,' in order to explore new technical features and aesthetic possibilities. The sleek, aerodynamic vehicles conveyed in this exhibition capture the spirit of the age; pivoting around the nuclear family unit and the ownership of a house and car – the American Dream.

SAM Director, Kirsten Paisley said:

‘This exhibition is an opportunity for visitors to see (for the first time) the original drawings from which American cars were first imagined, and through SAM's exciting partnership with the Shepparton Motor Museum view the vehicles themselves. Working with the Shepparton Motor Museum has been a wonderful collision of two worlds, with the Art Museum and the Car Museum celebrating the incredible draftmanship and creativity of the designers and an era of extreme optimism and excitement for the future.'

Greater Shepparton Mayor, Dennis Patterson said:

‘I think it's great that SAM is doing this exhibition in combining two very detached worlds of cars and art. These drawings remind you of what life was like in the 50s… The optimism that followed World War II and influence of American culture on Australians was huge. People in regional towns like Shepparton took up the passenger vehicle with great enjoyment due to our geographical location – our desire for road trips and liking for being rev heads certainly increased! I remember distinctly pulling up on the side of a road to listen to the 1962 AFL grand final, being in a friends family Dodge, and it was all about the car, the footy and the country road.'

The exhibition will be accompanied by an extensive public program of themed artistic workshops, tutorials, talks, tours and special events, including an opening launch party at SAM and Show ‘n' Shine at the Shepparton Motor Museum along with other festivities, on Saturday 14 March 2015.

Dream Machines: Drawings of the Great American Automobile and Dream Machines: The Cars will both be on display from 7 March until 17 May 2015. The exhibitions will be ticketed, with dual-ticketing available.

Shepparton Art Museum is proudly provided by Greater Shepparton City Council, located at 70 Welsford Street, Shepparton. For general SAM enquiries and bookings please contact: (03) 5832 9861, email art.museum@shepparton.vic.gov.au, or visit https://sheppartonartmuseum.com.au/ for more information.

Image: Robert S. Ackerman, Chrysler Front End Design Proposal – Red Sedan, June 22, 1971. Paper with magic marker, ink, 53.3 x 68.6 cm, Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Collection, image courtesy and © 2015 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.