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Trans Am Rapture

Trans Am Rapture, originally titled Trans Am Totem, was a public art installation in Vancouver, British Columbia, created by sculptor Marcus Bowcott for the Vancouver Biennale. Unveiled in April 2015, it stood at the intersection of Quebec Street and Milross Avenue near False Creek, east of downtown Vancouver. The sculpture featured stacked cars mounted on a base made from a tree trunk. Bowcott developed the work over two years with help from Helene Aspinall and structural engineer Eric Karsh. It was dismantled on August 15, 2021, and a new location was still being considered as of 2025.

Trans Am Rapture sculpture with cars stacked vertically against a blue sky and a high-rise building.
Trans Am Rapture, a stacked-car sculpture, rises above the False Creek skyline in Vancouver.
March 2013 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Trans Am Rapture sculpture with stacked cars mounted on a tall stripped tree trunk in Vancouver, framed by high-rise buildings.
Trans Am Rapture rises above the streetscape in Vancouver, with stacked cars mounted on a tall tree trunk.
March 2013 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Trans Am Rapture sculpture with stacked cars rising from a large tree trunk against a blue sky, with a modern building in the background.
Trans Am Rapture rises beside a modern building in Vancouver, with stacked cars mounted on a trunk-like base.
March 2013 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Trans Am Rapture sculpture with five cars stacked on a tall wooden column in a grassy urban setting
Trans Am Rapture stands in a grassy area with five cars stacked atop a tall wooden column.
March 2013 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Trans Am Rapture sculpture made of stacked cars on a tree-trunk-like base beside busy roads in Vancouver.
Trans Am Rapture rises from a grassy median, with stacked cars mounted on a cedar trunk-like base in Vancouver’s False Creek area.
March 2013 © · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitleTrans Am Totem
Alternative titleTrans Am Rapture
TypePublic art installation

Historical context

EventVancouver Biennale
Project period2014–2016 Vancouver Biennale

Creator

ArtistMarcus Bowcott
CollaboratorsHelene Aspinall and structural engineer Eric Karsh
Creation period2014–2016, over two years
Professional backgroundBegan work on the sculpture after 22 years teaching at Capilano University

Discovery and provenance

InspirationDecaying cars seen on the Fraser River in the 1980s, including vehicles used by farmers as breakwaters to prevent erosion
Earlier studiesHe tried to depict the decayed vehicles in paintings but was dissatisfied with the results
FundingThe Vancouver Biennale contributed CAD 10,000 toward construction and installation costs; Bowcott covered the remaining costs
Post-installation fundraisingA crowdfunding campaign raised CAD 6,500 to recoup installation costs

Physical characteristics

CompositionFive cars mounted vertically on a wooden base
Weight11,340 kg
Height10 m

Materials

MaterialsAutomobiles, wood, and steel
Base materialTrunk of a giant arborvitae
Support structureA steel column runs through the center of the sculpture

Technique

Vehicle modificationsEngines, transmissions, and drivetrains were removed to reduce weight, and the cars were repainted
LightingSolar-powered lights illuminate the cars' front and rear lights at night

Appearance

Vehicle arrangementFrom bottom to top: shortened Mercedes-Benz W201 with a Volkswagen Golf Mk3 front end, Volkswagen Golf Mk1 Cabriolet, Honda Civic sedan, BMW 7 Series (E38), and 1981 Pontiac Trans Am
Base constructionThe tree trunk was split lengthwise into two halves to accommodate the central steel column
Source of vehiclesDonated by a local scrapyard

Iconography and meaning

MeaningA celebration of mobility and technology and a critique of throwaway consumer culture and environmental destruction

Location and ownership

Original locationIntersection of Quebec Street and Milross Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Current statusNot currently installed; dismantled on August 15, 2021
Current search statusThe City of Vancouver is looking for a new site, and a relocation attempt to the south end of the Granville Street Bridge was abandoned after local residents protested