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October 16, 2012 Chevrolet green lights production of Switzerland's largest steel bust
Zurich. The first piece of an abstract bust of famous race-driver and engineer Louis Chevrolet has been cast in a Taiwanese foundry specialized in handling artistic assignments. Once completed, the massive artwork will be shipped to La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, where the co-founder of the Chevrolet car brand was born in 1878. "We are delighted to see this fascinating idea become reality," said Susan Docherty, President and Managing Director of Chevrolet Europe. "Louis Chevrolet was a talented engineer with a passion for racing. This landmark artwork will carry forward his enthusiasm and ingenuity which continue to inspire many people today," Docherty added. With a projected height of five meters, the impressive sculpture is on track to become Switzerland's largest steel bust. It will consist of 71 pieces of cast stainless steel which will be hand-polished, giving it an ultra-smooth and shiny surface . Its creator is Swiss artist Christian Gonzenbach whose design was selected as the best of four highly creative entries by an international jury in a competition earlier this year. The artwork will conclude a series of initiatives that marked the one hundredth birthday of Chevrolet, the world's fourth largest car brand, in 2011. The ten-ton head is being cast and welded in a foundry in the Taiwanese capital of Taipei. "Given the scope of the project, I realized that I had to think out of the box in finding specialized manufacturing expertise" artist Christian Gonzenbach said. "Casting stainless steel can be a delicate process, and like Louis Chevrolet, I am looking for innovative ways of working," he said. Upon completion and transport to Switzerland, the artwork will be handed over to Louis Chevrolet's native city, La Chaux-de-Fonds, a UNESCO world heritage site and Swiss watchmaking metropolis. Other famous personalities born in La Chaux-de-Fonds include nineteenth century novelist Blaise Cendrars, and renowned architect and designer Le Corbusier. The Chevrolet Centennial artwork is to become one of La Chaux-de-Fond's main tourist attractions and will be erected in the city's centrally located Parc de l'Ouest. For more information about the Chevrolet Centennial Artwork, visit media.chevroleteurope.com/centennial-artwork About Chevrolet Chevrolet is General Motors' largest global brand with annual sales of more than four million vehicles in more than 140 countries. It is the fourth biggest global car brand in terms of sales and also one of the fastest growing brands in the world. Chevrolet cars combine bold design, performance, innovation and practicality. They provide outstanding value for money. Established in the U.S. by Swiss émigré Louis Chevrolet in 1911, the brand celebrated its centenary in 2011. The brand was re-launched in Europe in 2005. It is represented with a total of 2,500 sales and service outlets in Western and Central Europe. The European Chevrolet line-up includes the Spark city car, the small Aveo sedan and hatchback, the compact Cruze sedan and hatchback, the Orlando family van, the Captiva SUV, the legendary Camaro and Corvette sports cars and the extended-range Volt electric car. In 2012, Chevrolet is launching the Cruze station wagon and the Malibu mid-size sedan. More information on Chevrolet can be found at www.chevroleteurope.com or media.chevroleteurope.com. About Christian Gonzenbach Christian Gonzenbach (*1975) lives and works in Geneva. His work explores the boundary between the ordinary and the extraordinary, the normal and the bizarre. It questions the world as we know it to the point at which the world loses its meaning and turns upside down into the absurd, the strange or the poetic. Gonzenbach studied biology before starting his career as an artist (Master of Fine Art, University of the Arts London, Chelsea College) and his interest in science can be identified in his work. www.gonzenbach.net Contacts: Vijay Iyer Cornelia Harodt Chevrolet Europe Chevrolet Europe Phone +41 44 828 2980 Phone +41 44 828 2534 Mobile +41 79 201 5752 Mobile +41 79 514 4421
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