Designing an Icon: Creativity and the American Automobile

September 24, 2009 1 CommentBill Porter, Car Design, Rescued from the Studio Trash

The Designing and Icon Exhibition is being held at the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, University of Houston, Entrance 18, 4200 Elgin Street, Houston, Texas.

This exhibition highlights the creativity of the American automobile designers of the 1960s and 70s, a period that stressed exotic styling and high performance. The exhibition opens Thursday, September 24, 2009. There will be a lecture in the Theater on opening night by Bill Porter, former head of the GM Advanced Design Studio.

The Exhibition will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and run until November 21, 2009. For further information: call 713-743-2400 or go to www.arch.uh.edu.

Photo Gallery courtesy Louisville Visual Art Association. This is the third showing of the exhibition.

1 Comments

September 29, 2009 at 2:55 am

Bill Porter

Gary: The turnout of students and enthusiasts from the Houston area at the opening reception Thursday Sept. 24 was outstanding. I had put together a PowerPoint presentation titled “American Exuberance Unleashed,” a blow by blow description of how American car design evolved from the Harley Earl days of the 1950s through the tremendously creative years of the 1960s and early 1970s. My idea was to tell the stories of both the Musclecar and the Ponycar in about 45 minutes. But both the audience and I caught fire and they had to turn the lights off in the auditorium to get us to leave. What a great experience!

Stephen James, curator of the gallery, did a beautiful job of hanging the exhibition and the sketches and renderings looked terrific on the walls. I’m downloading some shots I took of the installation and can send you a couple if you like.

Recharged, Bill

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Book is excellent reading. I like all the practical jokes that you played on each other. Haven’t put it down yet.

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Gary, Just received your book and read part of it, and can’t wait to finish it! EXCELLENT BOOK WOW! Thanks!

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It’s a book whose pages you’ll return to again and again…sometimes just to look, other times to read and learn and to laugh!

Helen Hutchings
It brought back so many memories. The book captures some of the antics that took place. I recommend Gary’s book for anyone that has an interest to get a glimpse of an era long gone.

John Manoogian II
Very impressed with the emphasis on the “people stories.” Most people think of GM in terms of the cars, whereas you focused on the designers that created the cars. Congratulations on your excellent and personable narrative.

Roy Lonberger
Great book! It will provide many hours of interesting reading. Thank you for writing and publishing it!

Charles Pieier
All the wonderful anecdotes and photos bring laughter and smiles of recollection of the years at GM Design. The other content is equally entertaining, too! One can keep returning to its pages, finding a new topic of interest each time.

George Camp
Gary’s book focuses on the people who drove designs and events at GM Design. It is always informative, sometimes funny and sometimes sad. Picture are breathtaking. Extremely well done.

James Rice
Thank you Gary for this wonderful publication vicariously delivering the human condition nectar recalled from the good old days at GM Design.

Bill Boudreau
Closest thing to an actual time machine I have experienced! The photos, quotes and artwork really transported me back to what was a fabulous time at GM Design.

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I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed The Future is Back. Great stories and wonderful comments! Excellent selection of illustrations and photos!

Peter Brock
The book is providing lots of interesting reading along with so many great photos, illustrations and renderings.

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It’s like going to a family reunion and meeting all your old friends, the studios and the models all over again. I can almost smell the fresh clay reading your book.

Ron Will
Reading the stories and anecdotes of designers who shared their experiences in this book allowed me to vicariously imagine what it would have actually been like to have worked in a studio. Thumbs Up Gary!!

Steve Sicklick
Great book Gary. It’s like taking a trip down memory lane!

Dennis Burke
I’ve enjoyed the Dean’s Garage book. I know a lot of the designers and places you mention; it’s like a reunion or old-home week.Thank you very much for putting everything together in such a beautifully organized, fun, illuminating way.

Michael Lamm