Autoeater Explained

Autoeater
Artist:Julia Venske
Gregor Spänle
Completion Date:June 30, 2017
Medium:Carrara marble
Weight:32000lb
City:Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Coordinates:33.7818°N -84.3839°W

Autoeater is a large public sculpture previously located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The sculpture was unveiled in 2017.

History

In 2017, Midtown Alliance (a coalition of business and civic leaders in Atlanta)[1] announced that Rockspinner, a 22000lb sculpture at the intersection of Peachtree Street and 10th Street in Midtown Atlanta, would be removed on April 3,[2] to be relocated to another city.[3] [4] Earlier in the year, the alliance took bids for a sculpture that would replace Rockspinner, planning to debut the new piece in the summer. Several months later, on June 30, a replacement sculpture was installed called Autoeater.[5] The sculpture, carved from Carrara marble, depicts a Fiat Panda being consumed by a distorted creature.[6] The sculpture, which weighs 32000lb, was designed by Julia Venske and Gregor Spänle and created in Italy,[7] being shipped to Atlanta from a marble quarry near Tuscany after its completion.[8] Discussing the thought behind the sculpture, Venske said, "For us, [Atlanta's] a lot of the traffic and it's a lot about the forest. But the traffic is just really obvious." A statement by the Midtown Alliance claims the sculpture "invites comment on Atlanta's relationship with the automobile in the context of one of the city's most walkable urban districts." A 2020 article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution claims the piece "also has a suggestive sexual connotation, as if the car — symbol of capitalist might upended to reveal its rarely seen undercarriage — is being enveloped in an enormous prophylactic."[9] The sculpture was slated for removal in summer 2020, though the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a delay in its removal. The sculpture was removed in 2021.[10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Spivak. Caleb J.. June 30, 2017. [Update] Meet 'Autoeater,' The Replacement For Midtown's Spinning Rock]. September 19, 2020. What Now Atlanta. en-US.
  2. Web site: Toone. Stephanie. March 30, 2017. The end is near for the giant, spinning rock in Midtown. September 21, 2020. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Enterprises. English.
  3. Web site: Wells. Myrydd. March 29, 2017. If you've never spun the giant rock in Midtown, go now. live. September 19, 2020. Atlanta. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20170329192452/http://www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/youve-never-spun-giant-rock-midtown-go-now/ . March 29, 2017 .
  4. Web site: July 6, 2017. Actual Factual Atlanta: Where'd the giant spinning rock in Midtown go?. live. September 21, 2020. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Enterprises. English. https://web.archive.org/web/20170706181316/http://www.ajc.com/news/local/actual-factual-atlanta-where-the-giant-spinning-rock-midtown/XR9YRPDIaZ2mxWCrOZhB2J/ . July 6, 2017 .
  5. Web site: Kelley. Collin. July 4, 2017. 16-ton 'Autoeater' sculpture installed in Midtown. live. September 19, 2020. Atlanta INtown Paper. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20170709101902/http://atlantaintownpaper.com:80/2017/07/16-ton-autoeater-sculpture-installed-midtown/ . July 9, 2017 .
  6. Web site: Reisigl. Joe. July 11, 2017. Midtown's Rockspinner has been replaced. Meet Autoeater.. live. September 19, 2020. Atlanta. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20170712041800/http://www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/midtowns-rockspinner-replaced-meet-autoeater/ . July 12, 2017 .
  7. Web site: Watts. Gabbie. July 7, 2017. Aptly Named 'Autoeater' Is Midtown's Newest Public Art Piece. September 19, 2020. WABE. en.
  8. Web site: July 3, 2017. Actual Factual Atlanta: Who made that giant car sculpture in Midtown?. live. September 21, 2020. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Enterprises. English. https://web.archive.org/web/20170703232910/http://www.ajc.com/news/local/actual-factual-atlanta-who-made-that-giant-car-sculpture-midtown/1OGPUf3wk1P8eG1CGNDDOJ/ . July 3, 2017 .
  9. Web site: Feaster. Felicia. April 13, 2020. A drive-by tour of Atlanta's public art. live. September 20, 2020. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Enterprises. English. https://web.archive.org/web/20200404020750/https://www.ajc.com/entertainment/attractions/drive-tour-atlanta-public-art/DyYmmOluwWNCyje4P28RIN/ . April 4, 2020 .
  10. Web site: Kennedy. Ginny. July 19, 2021. Arrivederci, Autoeater: A Sculpture that Started a Conversation. live. February 4, 2022. SaportaReport. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20210720123210/https://saportareport.com/arrivederci-autoeater-a-sculpture-that-started-a-conversation/thought-leadership/midtown-alliance/ . July 20, 2021 .

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