Wolfsburg Autostadt: Current Exhibition ICONIC - From Beetles to Art
Exhibition: "ICONIC – A Timeless Journey of Culture, Society and Mobility." A tribute to automotive, artistic, architectural, and human icons in Wolfsburg
Wolfsburg presents a new interpretation of the successful ICONIC exhibition from the "DRIVE. Volkswagen Group Forum" in Berlin (Deutsch , Nederlands, Italiano)
Wolfsburg
– from March 18, 2025 – Icons of design, architecture, art and
photography, music, and even mobility shape our time. The Autostadt in
Wolfsburg is currently presenting the exhibition "ICONIC – A Timeless
Journey of Culture, Society and Mobility." Icons of everyday life shape
identity and shape contemporary society. The exhibition in the Group
Forum showcases icons of automotive history that continue to shape our
mobility today, as well as groundbreaking works of design, architecture,
art, and music. In addition to the delivery center for new cars,
Autostadt Wolfsburg houses the Volkswagen AG museum and a theme park.
All of this is located in the immediate vicinity of the Volkswagen
plant.
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| Porsche 356 as a convertible on Munich’s Theresienwiese, photo: A. Waess (Pressefotoarchiv) |
Porsche 356 - Iconic
The last Porsche 356 C rolled out of the factory in May 1966 - versions of the famous 356 generations were available as convertibles, speedsters, or roadsters. Today, a 356 (pronounced "three fifty-six") is garage gold that classic car enthusiasts rejoice over at every fan gathering - like us at the ACM Classic Car Meeting in April 2024 on the Theresienwiese.
The classic car meeting is held every year on the first Sunday of the Spring Festival (this year April 27, 2025). The 19th ACM Classic Car Meeting on the Theresienwiese is organized by the ACM (Automobile Club Munich). You can still register for this event with your garage gold: "Those who want to participate need a vehicle built in 1983 or earlier!"
Regarding the current exhibition in Wolfsburg, Armin Maus, Chairman of the Management Board of Autostadt, told the press:
"Icons are more than just objects – they tell stories that connect and inspire people. With ICONIC, we are creating a place in Autostadt where our guests can experience the fascination of legendary vehicles and cultural masterpieces. As the Volkswagen Group's communications platform, we offer a space where mobility, art, architecture, and society enter into dialogue with one another. The exhibition invites visitors to explore the meaning of icons and, through a shared exploration, discover how they shape our identity and shape the future of mobility. We would especially like to thank DRIVE for their collaboration in bringing this fantastic idea to Wolfsburg."
Whether it was the famous Porsche 356, a Volkswagen Beetle, the T1-T4 Bulli, or the Golf I, they all shaped not only the German automotive landscape to this day.
In addition to the automotive icons from the Volkswagen Group, the new exhibition ICONIC draws attention to contemporaneous themes in the areas of design, architecture, people, and art. The question of what makes a person or a photograph an icon continues to preoccupy art historians and folklorists. The object or person must have been at home in their time, consciously designed it, developed its formal language, and thus shaped it. Thus, they are forever identified with their era and can also stand for their generation as a whole.
A photograph of a well-known person in their time is identified with that era and can shape generations who immediately recognize this "star" or "politician" as ICONIC.
A Munich example (not included in the Wolfsburg exhibition) "photographic icons": We're also thinking here of Peter Hince's photographic icons of rock music, such as the legendary Freddie Mercury of the rock band QUEEN, who also lived happily in Munich for several years. These photographs, as historical documents and icons of photographic art, can be seen at the Stephen Hoffman Gallery in Munich, located at the rear of the Hotel Bayerischer Hof. Homepage of the Stephen Hoffman Gallery - Fine Art Photography: galeriehoffman.com/photographer/peter-hince-queen-freddie-mercury/
The successful exhibition concept moves from DRIVE in Berlin (2024) to Autostadt (2025).
The "ICONIC" exhibition at the Berlin headquarters has been expanded for Wolfsburg. With new exhibits and a unique, individual design, many will also delight those familiar with the Berlin exhibition.
Autostadt Corporate Forum
Wolfsburg
Exhibition:
"ICONIC – A Timeless Journey of Culture, Society and Mobility"
- Daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- with a valid day or annual ticket
