Unique comic-style car exhibition at the Petersen Museum
Artist Joshua Vides presented an extremely interesting exhibition in Los Angeles. The cars featured in it are painted to mimic two-dimensional comic drawings. The exhibition will run at the Petersen Automotive Museum until next July.
Despite what you might think, these are not sketches or detailed renders from an automotive comic. They are photographs of a large-scale art installation at the Petersen Automotive Museum, where several classic cars are painted as if they stepped straight off a comic book page.
The artist and his vision
The exhibition’s creator is artist Joshua Vides. His exhibition, titled Flat Out, is taking place at Los Angeles’s most famous automotive museum until July next year. In photos, it looks quite astonishing, and we suspect that in person, the impression is even stronger. The cars are not the only objects painted to resemble comic drawings. The entire mock garage where they are located received the same treatment.
Cars worth seeing
The exhibition includes old models of Mercedes, Porsche, and Ferrari. Each car was first hand-painted white, and then intricate black accents were added to create a flat, appealing two-dimensional look.
The body panels are not the only surfaces that were reworked. Every external detail received the same treatment: from bumpers and headlights to radiator grilles and air intakes. The Ferrari 308 GTS looks particularly cool thanks to the smooth black lines stretching across its body. Of course, such a paint job would not be very practical for a car driven on roads, but as a museum exhibit, it looks fantastic.
Artist’s words
“I have had the opportunity to paint numerous vehicles and create galleries before, but bringing ‘Reality to Idea’ to the Petersen gallery is a true dream come true,” Vides said in an interview with Hemmings. “Each vehicle is a unique canvas, as is the space in which they are located. Doing this at the Petersen was a great honor, and I look forward to the public seeing this exhibition.”
Previous works and exhibition access
Vides has previously collaborated with the NBA, Formula 1, BMW, and Fendi. He calls his artistic style ‘Reality to Idea,’ aiming to return finished designs ‘to the original sketch.’ Access to the collection of five cars and the garage where they are displayed is included in the price of any standard admission ticket to the museum.
This exhibition is a vivid example of how contemporary art can reinterpret classic cars, transforming them into objects that challenge the usual perception of reality. It not only showcases the artist’s technical skill but also creates a unique space where viewers can feel like they are inside a comic book. This approach to displaying cars will undoubtedly attract the attention of both classic car enthusiasts and contemporary art fans, offering a fresh perspective on well-known forms.