Nano headlines from around the world:

Exhibition

January 15–March 27, 2011

Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art

Cornell University

In June 2010, India's Tata Motors began mass production of the Nano automobile that sells for approximately $2,200. Never before has a car been produced for this price, which is close to the cost of India’s most ubiquitous form of mass transportation: the motorized scooter. The 1,322-pound Nano exceeds European air quality standards, achieves approximately 65 mph, and promises safe transportation to the masses. Demand for the Nano is exceedingly high — more than 250,000 units will be produced this inaugural year, projected to rise to 500,000 soon — and purchasing rights are currently awarded via a lottery system. This demand foreshadows a profound transformation in the social, economic, and environmental conditions across the entire Indian subcontinent and beyond. Comparisons have aptly been made to the advent of the Model T almost exactly one century ago.  

Although celebrated internationally, no one in the United States had taken a close look at the Nano. How was it possible to design and produce a vehicle that will sell for less than $2,500? How will access to cheap auto-mobility transform the global south socially and urbanistically? What are the trans-national environmental consequences of mass automotive ownership? And lastly: where is the balance between competing demands for action on global climate change and claims for social equity? Unpacking the Nano explores these questions, and more.

The exhibition featured a production Nano dismantled and suspended in air in its 2,000 constituent parts, and assigns weight, price, and environmental impact. The exhibition also had Tata Motors' very first concept vehicle for this once unimaginable automotive price point: two used motor-scooters welded together. Outside, floating in the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art’s sculpture garden, was a 25-foot-diameter balloon that represented the Nano’s annual emissions.

Contact

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Exhibition Team

Directors:
Kent Kleinman

Aleksandr Mergold

Research Team:
Jeremy Siegel

Lawrence Siu 

Laura Kennedy

Sarah Haubner

Siddharth Soni

Exhibit Design:
Spencer Lapp

Ben Widger
Nikole Bouchard

Frank Parish

Andrew Fu

Laura Kennedy

Roberto Soto

Jeremy Siegel

Gabriel Hohag

Sarah Haubner

Exhibit Communications:

Beth Kunz

Photography:

William Staffeld

Mitchell Pride

Exhibition Advisers:
Exhibition Design

Franklin Robinson

Andrea Inselmann

Willfred Millard

Roberto Bertoia

Automotive

Al George

Girish Wagh

Cultural/Environmental

Neema Kudva

Mary Woods

Vyjayanthi Rao

Linda Nozick

Oliver Gao

Urban/Landscape

Dilip da Cunha

Daniel Gold