My Modern Met | Community-Driven Exhibition Transforms Cars Into Unconventional Vehicles for Site-Specific Art

During a crisp weekend in October, a fleet of cars rolled into a local lot in Harlem. But, contrary to expectation, these cars weren’t there to park. Rather, they were vehicles—quite literally—for an innovative art exhibition. Part tailgate, part road show, and entirely site-specific, Stay Frosty offered a novel way to experience visual art, whether it be nestled inside the trunk of a car or draped across a rearview mirror.

Hosted from October 24 to 26 by BravinLee Programs, the exhibition invited artists, independent curators, galleries, dealers, and non-profits to transform cars into pieces of art. Throughout the parking lot, visitors encountered a car constructed out of recycled water bottles; a van decked out in a plush, ultrapink interior, reminiscent of Y2K aesthetics; minimalist sculptures perched inside a truck bed; and a playful reinterpretation of the timeless Sisyphus myth. Works also decorated the fence surrounding the perimeter of the parking lot, creating an enclosed yet vibrant environment through which to engage with the displayed art. An installation by Ellie Murphy, for instance, incorporates three tapestries in different colors, delicate tassels draped over the fence’s chains in the background. Sarah George’s sculpture of a raccoon clutching a beer can, on the other hand, rests beside a porta-potty, a testament to the playfulness at the core of the exhibition.