The Art of the Automobile

Photography by Steven Edson

On Display from November 4 – November 30

Artist Statement:

As a photographer, I attempt to visually describe moments in transition while observing the complexity and vastness of the land, people, and objects within constantly changing conditions. For these brief moments, time stands still for eternity.

Form and function welded, bolted, and stitched together for speed, comfort, performance, and safety. All vintages are represented in my work starting from 1885 to the Model T to antique cars from the turn of the century to the vintage era of the 1920’s thru to the mid-century cars of the 1930’s to the 1950’s to hot rods and muscle cars to the current late model cars including performance luxury vehicles and race cars. My car photography illustrates the exquisite precision of bent metal and chrome to conform to a designer’s vision for the efficiencies of aerodynamics combined with the beauty of timeless style. Within this series, I use the camera to highlight and celebrate the industrial nature of car design both in its abstraction and the transformation cars undergo in different lighting and environmental atmospheric conditions.

Cars are a catalyst for many people’s earliest memories: from romantic dinner dates or to the store and day trips across the region or cross-country adventures. Vehicles are used for pleasure and for commercial entities and for some, the sheer thrill and enjoyment combined with the skills of racing to be the first to cross the finish line in the shortest amount of time.