Centennial sculpture for Chevrolet's home town
2011-11-03
- Artwork to stand in co-founder's birthplace of La Chaux-de-Fonds
- Four teams of internationally renowned artists to join competitive project
La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland – Chevrolet is commissioning a contemporary public artwork to be donated to La Chaux-de-Fonds, the native city of brand co-founder Louis Chevrolet. The sculpture will commemorate one hundred years of one of the world's best known car brands. The artwork will be erected on the Parc de l'Ouest in la Chaux-de-Fonds in 2012.
The winning artwork will express the values for which Chevrolet and its co-founder have become known in 130 countries around the world: a pioneering spirit of innovation, a profound sense of optimism and the passion to make the most out of life's opportunities.
Landmark to celebrate a global century of success
A competition among a group of internationally renowned artists will determine who is to create the artwork for the city's Parc de l'Ouest. The jury which will select the winner includes representatives from both La Chaux-de-Fonds and Chevrolet, the head of the office of cultural affairs of the Canton of Neuchâtel as well as the U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and the President of Switzerland's Federal Arts Commission.
The project means a lot to the city of La Chaux-de-Fonds, a UNESCO world heritage site. "We are delighted to receive an artwork. Chevrolet's centennial and the project provide us with an opportunity to communicate about the creative forces that La Chaux-de-Fonds has set in motion and that have had an impact around the globe," said Pierre-André Monnard, the city's mayor.
For Chevrolet, 2011 marks a unique year which has seen the launch of seven new cars in Europe and a series of initiatives to celebrate the brand's 100th birthday. "We feel proud to have been able to attract artists of international renown to join this contest in Chevrolet's centennial year," said Wayne Brannon, President and Managing Director of Chevrolet Europe. "We are looking forward to erecting a modern monument to our brand and its founder that has the potential to become a landmark in its own right."
The artists
"A promising selection of artists with a high reputation in their respective field of art will present us a variety of propositions," said Hans Rudolf Reust, jury member and President of the Federal Arts Commission. "Given the specific site and the generous context, we are likely to see some inspiring results".
Olivier Mosset is an enthusiast of vintage cars and originally from the region of La Chaux-de-Fonds, he now lives mostly in Tucson (Arizona, U.S.A.). He will join forces with Sylvie Fleury who is well-known for her pop art and the use of luxury items in her artistic expression. Artist-couple Sabina Lang and Daniel Baumann are famous for their hotel installation "Everland" at Switzerland's 6th national exposition (Expo.02) and have recently accomplished an artwork in a luxury liner.
Greek installation and landscape artist Costas Varotsos has strong connections to both the U.S. and Switzerland and has created numerous works in his home country as well as abroad. Christian Gonzenbach, one of Switzerland's younger talents, has been inspired by his interest in science and his studies in biology. This has lead him to examine zoological phenomena, a recent example of his work being a life-size whale sculpture.
The jury
The automaker and La Chaux-de-Fonds are keen to incorporate the views of the city and its residents. Alongside Laurent Kurth, the head of the department of urban planning, the jury will include Lada Umstätter, director of La Chaux-de-Fond's Musée des Beaux-Arts, and Claude-André Moser, a physician who also acts as cultural commissioner.
The assignment is managed by Friederike Schmid, an experienced project manager for site-specific art projects. "Unique art projects emerge out of a space that is meant for the people and to which they feel a connection. To achieve this, the particularities of a location and the views held by the residents have to be considered carefully," said Schmid.
The completion of the artwork is expected to take place several months after the jury's decision in spring 2012.
About Chevrolet
Chevrolet is General Motors' largest global brand with annual sales of about 4 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. It is the fourth biggest global car brand in terms of sales and also one of the fastest growing brands in the world. Chevrolet cars combine passion, bold design and practicality. They provide outstanding value for money. After re-launching the brand in Europe in 2005, Chevrolet more than doubled its sales to over 500,000 in 2008. In 2010, Chevrolet grew its market share in Europe to 2.5 percent, selling 477,194 cars. Chevrolet has a network of more than 2,700 dealers and service points in Europe. The Chevrolet line-up includes the Spark city car, the small Aveo, the compact four-door Cruze, the Captiva SUV and the legendary Corvette sports car. In 2011, Chevrolet is launching seven new cars: the all-new Orlando family van, the new Captiva SUV, the Corvette Grand Sport Coupé, the all-new five-door and four-door Aveo, the five-door Cruze, the Camaro coupé and convertible and the award-winning extended-range Volt electric car. Chevrolet's biggest markets in Europe are Russia, Italy, Germany, Spain, France and Turkey. Established in the U.S. by Swiss émigré Louis Chevrolet in 1911, the brand is celebrating its centenary in 2011. More information on Chevrolet can be found at www.chevroleteurope.com or media.chevroleteurope.com.
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