As families look for places to go and events to attend for their Summer vacation, we have started compiling some local art and auto shows. These shows are small, intimate events that provide a relaxed atmosphere to languish around a rare, vintage or art deco vehicle or become part of a tour to aid in a charity cause.
Golden Gate Ferrari Festival – Will take place on Saturday, September 10, 2016, at San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza Park. If you are a lover of Ferraris, this is your auto show. 400 Ferrari’s on display at the City Hall area in San Francisco – the first registrant is a unique 1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial Series II Scaglietti Spyder!
The event benefits the Greater Bay Area make-a-wish foundation. On the Golden Gate Ferrari website the story is told, “In 2013, Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area drew international attention for granting the wish of five-year-old leukemia patient Miles Scott to become “BatKid.” With the help of over 20,000 volunteers, the city of San Francisco was transformed into an elaborate production to provide Miles with an unforgettable experience that was documented in the feature film “Batkid Begins: The Wish Heard Around the World.”
Bellissima Y’all!
Bellissima Y’all! Bellissima: The Italian Automotive Renaissanceruns from May 27–October 9, 2016, at the First Center for Visual Arts in Nashville, TN.
My good friend, Ken Gross, and automotive extraordinaire is guest curating this event. Some of the most amazing Italian vehicles will be on display;
Bella Berlinettas
1950 Cisitalia 202 SC
1953 Fiat 8V Supersonic
1955 Maserati A6G 2000 Zagato
Berlinettas: The BATs
1953 Alfa Romeo BAT 5
1954 Alfa Romeo BAT 7
1955 Alfa Romeo BAT 9
Styling Gems
1946 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Speciale
1952 Lancia B52 Aurelia PF200 Spider
1961 Ferrari 400 Superamerica
Il Ultimo
1962 Ferrari 250 GTO
Wedge-Shaped Cars
1955 Chrysler Ghia Gilda
1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero
1966 Ferrari 365 P Tre Posti
Italian and American Excitement
1952 Cunningham C3 Continental
1955 Lincoln Indianapolis
1963 Chrysler Turbine Car
Mid-Engine Marvels
1963 ATS 2500 GT
1968 Bizzarrini 5300 Strada
1970 Lamborghini Miura S
On Two Wheels
1957 Moto Guzzi V-8
1973 MV Agusta 750 Sport
1974 Ducati 750 Super Sport
As Gross would say, the drooling begins May 27, 2016
Ken Gross has served as Guest Curator for many exhibitions of extraordinary automobiles in fine art museums, including The Allure of the Automobile (High Museum of Art, Atlanta, 2010, and the Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR, 2011); Speed: The Art of the Performance Automobile (Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Salt Lake City, 2012), Sensuous Steel: Art Deco Automobiles (Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville, 2013); Porsche By Design: Seducing Speed (North Carolina Museum of Art, 2013); and Dream Cars: Innovative Design, Visionary Ideas, High Museum of Art in Atlanta, 2014, and Indianapolis Museum of Art, 2015).
1920-1940s Art Deco era
Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger just missed being part of the 1920-1940s Art Deco era, but he would love the Rolling Sculpture Art Deco show happening now at the North Carolina Museum of Art.
Decorative, elegance, exhibitionist are adjectives that describe the Art Deco period. Some of the great Art Deco pieces you can see are the Chrysler Thunderbolt, Henderson KJ Streamliner, 1930, Peugeot 402 Darl’mat, 1936, and a beautiful BMW R7 Concept Motorcycle, 1934.
KJ Streamline Motorcycle, 1930
Texas is fast becoming the State of choice for businesses. It’s only fair Texas gets its share of great automobile museum shows. This show ends in a week, so get there fast. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston has a Sculpted in Steel ArtDeco show that showcases fourteen cars and three motorcycles, along with vintage images and videos.
2016 “Danville Charitable Organization of the Year,” the Danville d’Elegance Foundation
This charity auto show speaks to my heart. My father spent the last years of his life in misery from Parkinson’s disease. The 12th Annual Concours Danville d’Elegance is looking to surpass the $2 million already raised to benefit Parkinson’s research and patient care. There’s a scenic drive with lunch, an auction, and a dinner at the Blackhawk Museum over the September 17 – 18, 2016 weekend charity benefit. The Concours on the streets of Downtown Danville is on that Sunday.
