Petrol head heaven at Aratoi

 
PRESS RELEASE
14 February 2011
 
Petrol head heaven at Aratoi: 

Art of the Hot Rod21 February – 21 March, Aratoi – Wairarapa Museum of Art & History, Bruce St, Masterton. 

Open daily 10am-4.30pm, admission free. www.aratoi.co.nz.

If you love cars, especially hot rods, you’ll love Art of the Hot Rod opening soon at Aratoi. Parked up in the foyer will be Tony McAuley’s 1934 Ford hot rod, with its stunning ‘glitter and lace’ paint job.

“It’s probably considered gaudy by today’s tastes but this was an icon car at hot rod shows around the country in the 1970s and '80s,” says Lloyd Wilson, owner of Magoo’s Street Rods, Masterton, and organizer of the exhibition. “Apparently the lace technique happened by accident when a guy sprayed a woman’s nightie that was in the garage.” 

How the nightie got to the garage is another story, but there will be plenty of interest in the collection of sketches, prints, posters, oil paintings, memorabilia and models assembled for the exhibition. Many of the items have come from Lloyd’s own collection, and those of car artists he’s met overseas. 

“We have art from Australia, England, USA and Japan on display, with over 30 artists represented,” he says. Wairarapa connections include work by Barry Mangan formerly of Mangan Graphics and now resident in Australia; pinstriper/artist 'Von Mako'; and Kurt Goodin (previously from Carterton, now resident in the Hutt).

Legendary American Ed Roth is represented, too. Roth was a cartoonist and custom car builder (1932-2001), who achieved mythic status in the Hot Rod and art communities. Considered the founder of ‘weirdo’ art, he created the character Ratfink, a ‘bad rat’ antithesis of Mickey Mouse often emblazoned on hot rods.

In contrast, John Husband is an award-winning New Zealand oil painter, known for his paintings of rusty old vehicles out in the landscape. Lloyd has been the proud owner of one of Husband’s paintings for 32 years and says the appeal lies in the fact that custom car builders usually start with rusty old wrecks that they then have to transform. This painting is also on display.

The exhibition coincides with ‘Americarna’, a major Hot Rod event being staged this month in Upper Hutt. As part of the event, Queen Street, Masterton, will host a large contingent of visiting cars on Friday 25 February, from 12pm-2pm.

Hot Rods have been a lifelong passion for Lloyd, starting in the 1970s. “Like most guys I saw them in magazines, then the real thing, and wanted one. I started building them at home as a hobby, then made it into a business,” he says. “A true hot rod is a pre-1948 vehicle of American origin, a modified vehicle, but the sport goes beyond that. We have lots of ’59 Cadillacs, street machines, Mustangs, Camaro’s as well.”

Art of the Hot Rod21 February – 21 March, Aratoi – Wairarapa Museum of Art & History, Bruce St, Masterton. Open daily 10am-4.30pm. www.aratoi.co.nz.
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