October 20, 2021
The signature industry in Detroit is automotive and mobility. That’s no surprise, given Detroit, nicknamed Motor City, was integral to the start of American car culture with the Big Three (Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles). To celebrate this, the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) opened an exhibition titled “Detroit Style Car: Car Design in the Motor City, 1950-2020.” The exhibit features classics that have influenced the automotive industry.
The Detroit Style Car exhibit is a carefully curated collection of twelve coupes and sedans, organized by their chronological time, themes, and innovative processes over a 70-year period. Visitors can expect to see a 1951 General Motors LeSabre, 1970 Plymouth Barracuda, 2017 Ford GT, and more. These classic cars were experiments from their design to production. A combination of architecture, automotive, selections of paintings and sculptures (clay, metal, and paper), and unseen drawings are showcased in a storytelling method to show the complete creative process of each car before these prototypes became mass-produced.
The first time cars were showcased at the DIA was in 1985 at the “Detroit Style: Automotive Form, 1925 – 1950.” These experimental designs will continue to be recognized for their advancement in style, technology, and artistry during those eras. Take a look at the behind-the-scenes video to see how the staff maneuvered the cars into the museum for this year’s exhibit.
Visit the Detroit Style exhibit at the DIA, located at 5200 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202. Admission to the exhibit is free with museum admission, which residents of Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties can get for free. Due to COVID-19, an advance reservation is required. Reserve your visit here soon. The exhibit closes in January 2022.
Written by Korzell Coe
