Drawings 18x24"
artMovingProjects
166 N.12th St, between Bedford and Berry Sts., Williamsburg (917-301-6680, 917-301-0306).
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.Thu-Sun, 1pm - 6pm www.artmovingprojects.com
info@artmovingprojects.com
Opening 7-9 Opening Saturday September 8th - October 14th
Ken Butler http://www.mindspring.com/~kbhybrid/
Drawing and Driving
Ken Butler re-visits a childhood obsession with exotic racing car prototypes and model building and presents a 40ft. slot car track along with a stable of 1/32nd scale “hybrid” slot cars constructed from found objects.
In addition, a suite of detailed drawings elaborate this theme, along with other works that extend the artist’s ongoing exploration of sound and image installations.
Bicycles, pianos, projectors, musical chairs, racing cars, and
dinosaurs are subjected to transformation and re-construction.
In addition, the artist presents a sit-down race-driving simulator
(with steering wheel and pedals) utilizing a Playstation 2 and Gran
Turismo 4.*(We are looking for a hacker to crack this simulator so we can drive the faster cars
without going through all the tests.) Please contact me.
While in high school in Portland, Oregon, the artist won a
first-in-state award from The Fischer Body Company Craftsman’s Guild
for the design and construction of a sports car prototype, laboriously
carved from sugar pine. He had dreams of going to Europe to work with
high-end automobile design firms like Pininfarina, Bertone, Zagato, and
the like.
Widely popular in the 1960’s, 1/32nd scale home slot car racing
experienced an international revival in the late nineties, prompted
partially by Spanish modelers who produced highly-detailed die-cast
quality cars (Fly cars) for home tracks to compete with the dominant
brands at the time: the English company Scalextric (the originators in
the 50’s), the Spanish company Ninco, and the German Carrera, pushing
them all to higher standards of realism and performance. There are
currently over 25 manufacturers, predominately in Spain and England,
though many of the cars are fabricated in China. Prominent U.S.
companies in the 60’s for home tracks (in 1/32 scale) were
Strombecker,
Eldon, Revell, and Monogram (recently revived).
Other scales of slot cars are HO (1/87th), 1/43rd (only recently), and
1/24th, the scale popular with the large commercial tracks. Several
companies now make cars at this scale for larger home tracks. A rare
vintage 1/32nd car from the 60’s in good shape can sell (on Ebay) for
up to $900. and a 1/24th vintage slot car (especially with a hand-made
brass frame) can be worth up to $2,500. There are around 2,000 1/32nd
scale cars and accessories available on Ebay, about 200% more than in
the late nineties.
Slot Car Links
Slot Car Blog: the best online reference for updates on slot cars and
auto racing, with a long list of other blogs, resources, and
manufacturer’s links.
http://slotcarnews.blogspot.com/
Selected Online Resources:
http://www.slotcarillustrated.com/
http://www.modelcarracingmag.com/
http://www.homeracingworld.com/
Retail:
Slot Car World:
http://www.slotcarworld.com/
Fantasy World:
http://www.fantasyworldhobbies.com/catalog/index.php
Electric Dreams:
http://www.electricdreams.com/
Ebay 1/32 modern slot cars:
http://toys.listings.ebay.com:80/Modern-1970-Now_1
-32_W0QQfcclZ1QQfclZ4QQfromZR11QQfrppZ50QQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQlopgZ2QQsacatZ
4781QqsocmdZListingItemList
Ebay 1/32 vintage slot cars:
http://toys.listings.ebay.com:80/Vintage-Pre-1970_1
-32_W0QQfcclZ1QQfclZ4QQfromZR11QQfrppZ50QQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsacatZ4782Qqso
cmdZListingItemList
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Ken Butler
HYBRID VISIONS
427 Manhattan Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11222
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WEBSITE www.mindspring.com/~kbhybrid
MYSPACE www.myspace.com/kenbutlerhybridvisions
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PHONE / FAX (718) 782-4383
Project Space
Perry Hoberman
http://www.perryhoberman.com/
October
Natalie Moore http://www.nataliemoore.com/installations/
Project Space finds a New Location installation John Giglio
Marcin Ramocki http://ramocki.net/
