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NEWS
Mayor
Signs Budget, Spares Most of Arts & Culture
Prescription:
Fringe & Live Arts Festival
ART
Creating
Healing: Artists for Recovery
Philadelphia
Glass Works
Textile
Designer Christina Roberts
Black
Women's Arts Festival
Jewelry
Designer Nicole Eichman
MUSIC
It Goes To Your Feet: Alô Brasil
Meg
Clifton: New Voice in Philadelphia Jazz
Spotlight
on Amos Lee
Workaholics
Anonymous Profile: Cassendre Xavier
LITERATURE
American
Poetry Review: Right Here in Philly!
Author
Spotlight: Aimee Bender
Philly
Zine Fest
Lawrence
Richette's The Fault Line
CREATIVE NON-FICTION
Padded
Leprechaun: A Bloomsday Tale
A
Remembrance of Things Writing Camp
Theoretical
Cinematic De-elevations
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Exploring Body Work at Hot Import
Nights
by Audrey Wilz
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Bob Mull's
Cavalier took home 'Best in Show'. photo,
courtesy of National Custom Car Assoc. |
A woman leaned over the hood of a car, pressing her shoulders
together to reveal ample, unnatural cleavage that cost almost as much as
the car's fiery red paint job. Philadelphia residents reached for their
digital cameras to capture the beauty of the woman's and the car's
modified body work.
On June 26, Vision Entertainment's premiere custom car show, Hot
Import Nights, rocked the Philadelphia convention center. A smorgasbord
of stunning cars and female models, Hot Import Nights provided a
playground for creative fantasy.
Although the import car scene generally prompts a flock of car-savvy
young men, at just under thirty dollars a ticket, people of both genders
and all ages purchased tickets to the event. Music and dancing kept the
car show a high-energy affair. Attractive female DJ's Lady Tribe and
Tatiana provided music while local break-dancers entertained. The
eight-hour event yielded a constant flow of people who walked the
convention center admiring the vehicles.
Most who attended the event agreed that looking at customized cars
resembles looking at an art exhibit. Local car enthusiast Andy Griess
said, "As much as gymnastics is a sport, customizing your car is an
art." Griess explained that he could truly admire the aesthetic
beauty of a car if "it looks like it's not just slapped together
because the owner had the money to do the alterations." Considering
such alterations as paint job, rims, and spoilers, viewers with
extensive knowledge of cars admired each car for its artistic
attributes. Chuck Van Leuven, 25, claimed that every car in the show was
each owner's "expression of character."
For many, unfortunately, a downside came with being surrounded by
expensive customized models. Staring at the showroom floor, Griess said,
"Everything I want on my car, somebody had there. Molded trunks,
ghost flame paint jobs, lambo doors, televisions, they have everything I
want to do to my car but can't afford."
Indeed, the cars were something to admire and envy. At this show, Bob
Mull's Cavalier took home "Best of Show." Jay Laub's
impressive widebody RX-7 from Florida followed close behind.
With 16 annual shows ravaging the nation, Hot Import Nights remains
an ongoing creative phenomenon. As the program travels the country,
different sets of car owners compete to show off their artistic
additions to everyday cars. For those who missed the Philadelphia show,
or those who did but can't wait until next year, Hot Import Nights will
be visiting Atlantic City this October.
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FILM
Jersey,
a Quarter-Life Crisis, and Sundance
High
School Revisited in Strangers With Candy
PIGLFF
Celebrates Ten Years of Queer Cinema in Philadelphia
Lost
Film Festival
Cinema
India! Brings Bollywood to Philly
THEATRE
A Potable Joyce:
A Watered-Down Version of Ulysses
The
Brick Playhouse Gives Voice to Local Playwrights
SOCIETY
Garden
Varieties: Big Tea Party
Love
for Sale: Profile of David Henry Sterry
Sex
Cop: Josh McIlvain is on Patrol
Exploring
Body Work at Hot Import Nights
COLUMNS
The
Masked Perfesser in Dublin
Ghost
of Fuddruckers
Distributing PAW Print
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