last update: June 18th 2013

Motoring

Aerodynamics exhibition begins at Petersen Automotive Museum

by Matt Mensley | June 19th 2012 | 10:01 am

The century old struggle to improve aerodynamics on cars has seen cases of extreme over-designing, times where design and aerodynamics did not always meet eye-to-eye, with the resultant car looking how a science-fiction writer would imagine the car of the future (case and point: 1955 Ghia Gilda), evolving over time into the nuanced and subtly flowing designs that we see on our roads everywhere today.

It is an interesting timeline of progression, and one that is set to capture hearts and minds at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, as their Aerodynamics: From Art To Science exhibition gets under way. The exhibition plays host to over a dozen cars that mark out milestones, both artistic and scientific, in the pursuit of aerodynamic perfection.

Petersen Automotive Museum, home to some of the worlds rarest and interesting cars

In connection with the exhibition a tour with curator Leslie Kendall on July 31st gives an opportunity to explore the thinking behind the innovators of automotive aerodynamics.

Asked about the museum, Leslie Kendall informs us "In 1994 the Petersen broke with longstanding automotive museum traditions in two fundamental ways. We were among the first to put objects as large as automobiles in life-size dioramas, giving the public a unique opportunity to see how they interrelated with the infrastructure that was established to support them. And we spoke to our visitors’ desires for variety by devoting a number of very large gallery spaces to rotating exhibitions that help us explain the countless ways that Los Angeles has influenced automotive design, engineering, and culture on a global scale. Now people can see not only how cars relate to their environment, but also how they relate to each other.”

Their currently ongoing exhibition, Sculpture in Motion: Masterpieces of Italian Design pays homage to the massive influence held by Italian coachbuilders and manufacturers on automobile design. From highly acclaimed Cisitalia 202 Coupe by Pinin Farina, the first car to become part of MOMA's collection, to Bertone's 1970's forward-looking Lancia Stratos HF Zero concept car, whose wedge shaped profile could be seen as the base DNA of today's exotics.

The two exhibitions complement a permanent programme of four other exhibitions. The Streetscape explores the evolution of the automobile and car culture in Southern California during the 20th Century. The self-explanatory Hollywood and the Car looks at the car's instrumental role in the combination of art, technology and the perception of image. The Alternative Power exhibition explores the history and lessons learned from over a century of alternatively powered cars. The last of the permanent exhibitions showcases the history and popularity of the Hot Wheels toy brand with scale replicas of its most popular cars.

Petersen Automoitive Museum's Streetscape exhibition. Bringing to life various era of 20th century Los Angeles and featuring the cars in the context they would commonly be seen in.

Executive Director Buddy Pepp outlines an exciting future for the museum: "We have several projects in the pipeline that will raise our visibility and make the Petersen Automotive an even more exciting place to learn and find inspiration. […] later this year a new and improved Petersen.org will allow visitors to continue their Petersen experience outside our walls. It will also serve as a valuable research tool for the media, students, the automotive community, and anyone with a curiosity about the automotive world."

Aerodynamics: From Art To Science opened June 16th and will run until May 27th next year. The ongoing exhibition Sculpture In Motion: Masterpieces Of Italian Design runs until February 3rd, 2013.

Further information about the Petersen museum's exhibitions on their webpages