Name/Title
168, David Haim, Vanatee (I Can See Mice Elf in That!)Tags
=, #Description
artcar-2nd 2022---- VANATEE (I Can See Mice Elf in That!) is a 2002 Ford E-250 Econoline heavy-duty cargo van, adorned with a three dimensional array of stainless steel mirrors.
Observers see multiple reflections of themselves in VANATEE’s second skin.
Vanatee's appearance morphs with its surroundings, as it constantly reflects the ever-changing surroundings. It projects swirled bands of reflected light onto surrounding surfaces.
Over 2000 screws secure the metal artwork, and its wooden underpinnings, to VANATEE’s body.
All of the artwork was executed by David Haim, the van’s owner, over hundreds of hours from 2018 through 2020.
VANATEE is regularly driven as a transport vehicle on the streets of Houston.
VANATEE was inspired by:
• The chrome-laden cars of the 1950s
• Aunt Mary’s kitchen, with mirrors on two adjacent walls
• The notion of a motor vehicle as a form of self-identification, as promoted by automotive advertising
• Mirrored art, including:
o Room No. 2 by Lucas Samaras, (Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo NY)
o Cloud Gate (AKA “The Chicago Bean”), by Sir Anish Kapoor
o Cloud Column by Sir Anish Kapoor (Museum of Fine Arts, Houston)
• Nicole Strine’s “Shattered Vanity” artcar.
VANATEE reflects (pun intended) David’s penchants to play with ambient light, and to play with words!---- KJAKdkaJSD