Viva Guggenheim
VIVA GUGGENHEIM
MOTORCYLING'S TRAVeling road show is at it again. Following record-setting runs in New York and Chicago, “The Art of the Motorcycle” exhibit went international last November, opening at the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum in northern Spain. Before it closes this April 23,
more than a half-million people are expected to attend.
Visitors will first be greeted by architect Frank Gehry’s whimsical exterior structure, an explosion of glass, masonry and titanium cladding that’s been called “the most important building of the century.” A little over the top, perhaps, but then so is the museum, charmingly so.
Inside is what we’re after, though, the 121 motorcycles that make up the exhibit. Gehry himself did the multimilliondollar installation, a fantastic figure-eight configuration that starts with an 1868 Michaux-Perreaux steam velocipede and wends its way back to a new MV Agusta F4. The bikes are placed on reflective pedestals (ever seen the underside of a Honda 250 Six?) or sent soaring on towering wooden blocks. Lit from above with 900 theatrical spots, the effect
is stunning. Billboard-sized blowups ring the exhibit.
Thankfully, some of the lesser bikes hurried to make 1998’s New York opening have been replaced with better examples of the breed or axed altogether. Playing up to the locals, several Spanish makes have been added, plus Alex Criville’s NSR500 Honda, fresh from winning the world roadracing championship. After missing the downsized Chicago show, Otis Chandler’s magnificent early American models are back-and the show is that much better for it.
Word is that Berlin and then Florence want the show after it closes in Spain. They’ll have a tough time topping Bilbao.
David Edwards
