What is art? That question came up last week when the sunken Bugatti was sold for an enormous sum to be displayed in a museum. We asked ourselves the same question when we visited an exposition of original pedal cars from the 1930s, forties and fifties. It is the collection of Rop Ranzijn, a designer by profession. But as a hobby he collects and restores pedal cars in which originality is his main focus. That's why he left the original tires on this 1930s car made the French manufacturer l'Etoile, just to highlight its age. To get back to the original question: are pedal cars art? Certainly not in the time they were made, as they were only children's toys. But today, just like the submerged Bugatti, yes, I certainly appreciate them as works of art!

The exposition can seen at the Kunsthal in Rotterdam, The Netherlands until March 7th, 2010

photos Rutger Booy

January 28, 2010