ORLANDO MUSEUM OF ART GEARS UP
FOR WORLD-CLASS EXHIBITION
BASED ON THE LANDMARK PRESENTATION AT THE GUGGENHEIM
THE ART OF THE MOTORCYCLE
JANUARY 22-JULY 23, 2006
ORLANDO, FL - Both
art and motorcycle enthusiasts will feel a part of the cultural revolution
when The Art of the Motorcycle rolls into the Orlando Museum
of Art (OMA) from January 22 through July 23, 2006. Based on the landmark
exhibition that opened in 1998 at the Guggenheim Museum, New York, to
record crowds, The Art of the Motorcycle explores the motorcycle
as both cultural icon and design achievement and offers a thought-provoking
challenge to conventional assumptions about art and popular culture
in the modern age. It is organized by Wonders, The Memphis International
Cultural Series, in association with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation,
New York.
Showcasing 80 historic and contemporary
motorcycles, each exceptional example was selected based upon criteria
that considered technical innovation, aesthetic excellence and cultural
significance. The exhibition chronicles the most compelling moments
in the evolution of motorcycle design and places these developments
in a cultural context. Starting with examples produced in the 19th century,
the exhibition shows how the motorcycle emerged as an icon of our time.
Guggenheim Foundation Director Thomas Krens has written, "The motorcycle
is a perfect metaphor for the 20th century… Invented at the beginning
of the industrial age, its evolution tracks the main currents of modernity.
The object and its history present the themes of technology, engineering,
innovation, design, mobility, speed, rebellion, desire, freedom, love,
sex and death…"
"We are thrilled to be the exclusive
Florida venue for The Art of the Motorcycle, a world-class exhibition
based on the Guggenheim's landmark presentation, which celebrates the
achievements of artistic excellence found in motorcycle design,"
says OMA Executive Director Marena Grant Morrisey. "After seeing
this exhibition, visitors will see the world differently, recognizing
that art is truly everywhere."
Selections in the exhibition include the
Copeland Steam (Replica 1884), one of several successful steam-powered
motorcycles; the Orient (1900), the first commercially produced
motorcycle in the United States; the Cyclone Board Tracker (1914),
known as the "yellow speed demon" - the fastest bike of its
period; the BMW R32 (1923), the motorcycle's clean angular look
shows the influence of German Bauhaus design; the Harley-Davidson
EL (1936), the popular "knucklehead," and early example
of the now familiar line of Harley-Davidson cruising bikes; the Easy
Rider Chopper (1993), a replica that replaces the lost original
from the 1969 film with Peter Fonda and the best known motorcycle in
film; the Aprilia Moto 6.5 (1995), a stylish motorcycle created
by world-famous designer Phillippe Starck; and, among the sleekest and
most glamorous of recent Italian motorcycles, the MV Agusta F4
(1998), designed by Massimo Tamburini in collaboration with Ferrari.
Also included are important examples from Indian, Triumph, Ducati, Honda,
Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha and many others.
The exhibition is organized chronologically: the first section, "Inventing
the Motorcycle: 1868-1919," considers the motorcycle in
the context of other major inventions of the era: the railroad, electricity
and cinema. "The Machine Age: 1922-1929"
traces the rapid acceptance of a machine aesthetic, with technology
serving as a leitmotif of modern culture. "New
World Orders: 1930-1944" finds the machine ethos of the
1920s assuming an altogether different scale and demeanor. "Freedom
and Postwar Mobility: 1946-1958" charts the emergence of
the motorcycle as an instrument that allowed for escape from the anonymity
of postwar society. "Popular Culture/Counterculture:
1959-1969" examines the motorcycle as an emblem of the era,
as relevant to the cultural iconography as rock music and street protests.
"Getting Away From It All: 1969-1981"
charts the nation's growing malaise and corresponding desire for escape.
"The Consumer Years: 1982-1989" tells the story of
a rising stock market and burgeoning middle class, making leisure activities
ever more eagerly pursued. Finally, "Retro/Revolutionary:
1990-2004" traces the different routes recently taken in
motorcycle design: from the grunge aesthetic, in which motorcycles have
been stripped of their traditional trappings, to designs which both
restate and update ideas from past decades.
ABOUT THE ORLANDO MUSEUM
OF ART
Nestled in beautiful Orlando Loch Haven Park, the Orlando Museum of
Art is a private, non-profit institution, dedicated to enriching the
cultural life of Florida by providing excellence in the visual arts.
Founded in 1924, the OMA has grown from a small arts center into a nationally
accredited and recognized museum. As one of Florida's cultural gems,
the OMA is home to permanent collections of American art, African art
and art of the ancient Americas, and presents a variety of temporary
exhibitions of the highest artistic merit.
HOURS
Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday;
and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The last ticket is sold one
hour prior to closing.
ADMISSION
Pre-sale general admission tickets are available for $12.50 (must be
pre-purchased by 12/31/05). Admission for adults is $15; seniors (65+),
students and active military personnel is $12; youth ages 6-18 is $5;
children ages 5 and younger is free; groups of 20 or more is $12; senior
groups of 20 or more is $10. OMA Members are offered free admission
on their first visit and the first Thursday of each month; each additional
visit is $10. Admission prices include an audio guide tour.
EXHIBITION SPONSORS
PRESENTING SPONSOR: Orange County Government through the Arts
& Cultural Affairs Program; Benefactors: Council of 101, Joe R.
Lee, The Martin Andersen-Gracia Andersen Foundation, Inc., Orlando/Orange
County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc., Orlando Motorcycle Salon/Miami
Motorcycle Salon and United Arts of Central Florida; Sustaining Patrons:
Orlando Harley-Davidson; Patrons: Bright House Networks, Clear Channel
Outdoor, Mall at Millenia, Rosen Centre Hotel and Telemundo Orlando;
Sustaining Sponsors: AARP Motorcycle Insurance Program from Foremost
Insurance, Help Art Reach Kids (H.A.R.K.), Smooth Jazz 103.1 WLOQ, SunTrust
Bank and WMFE - TV 24; Sponsors: Baldwin Park, The Chesley G. Magruder
Foundation, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Gotcha Mobile Media, Orlando Marriott
Downtown, Robertson-Johnson Warehouses, Inc. and 96.5 WHTQ FM Cox Radio
International; Sustaining Partners: Lockheed Martin and Orlando Leisure
Magazine; Contributing Partners: Dixie Biker Illustrated and
Enzian Theater; Partners: WUCF-FM 89.9.
GENERAL INFORMATION
For further information, call (407) 896-4231 or visit the OMA's web
site at www.OMArt.org. The OMA is located just one hour southwest from
Daytona Beach along the I-4 corridor (exit #85) in picturesque Orlando
Loch Haven Park at 2416 N. Mills Ave., Orlando, FL.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Media interested in receiving promotional images on the exhibition may
call (407) 896-4231, Ext. 233, e-mail marketingpr@omart.org or download
them at http://www.omart.org/info/media.html.
Accredited by the American Association of Museums, the Orlando Museum
of Art is supported by earned income, the Council of 101, donations
from individuals, corporations and foundations, and sponsored in part
by United Arts of Central Florida with funds from the United Arts campaign,
State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs
and the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
