Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA)

On the morning of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s first Artists' Soapbox Derby, Michael Cooper was working frantically to put the finishing touches on his entry: a three-wheeled vehicle made of laminated red oak, aluminum, nylon, and bicycle wheels. The derby car wouldn't fit in Cooper’s van, and after a struggle and some creative maneuvering, he and his pit crew arrived at McLaren Park a bit late but ready to race nonetheless.

The brainchild of Bay Area artist Fletcher Benton, the derby was conceived with two goals: to provide a day of fun for artists and the community, and to raise funds for purchasing artworks by local artists. With support from the Women’s and Membership Activities Boards of the museum, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s first Artists' Soapbox Derby came to life. The premise was simple: each artist was allocated $100 for materials, and the rules allowed "anything that coasts." Beyond that, the artists were free to let their imaginations run wild. Over ninety artists committed to building cars, and thirty more joined to design trophies for various categories.

Thousands of spectators turned out on race day to watch vehicles of all shapes and sizes whiz and weave through McLaren Park in San Francisco.

Thousands of spectators turned out on race day to watch vehicles of all shapes and sizes whiz and weave through McLaren Park in San Francisco. Among the daring entries were a giant pencil designed by Richard Shaw, a completely edible bread car by Dorcas Moulton (which was devoured shortly after crossing the finish line), and a giant banana that artist Terry Axelson described as the "fastest fruit." Artist-made trophies were awarded in various categories, including “Funkiest,” “Noisiest,” and “Fastest-Looking,” with contributions from artists like Ruth Asawa and Robert Arneson.

Cooper, a multimedia sculptor from Richmond, California, was introduced to Fletcher Benton while studying at San Jose State College. He cites the exhibition American Sculpture of the Sixties at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, which featured work by his professor, as a major turning point in his life that propelled him to pursue a career as an artist. After earning an MFA at the University of California, Berkeley, Cooper went on to teach at Foothill-De Anza College in Cupertino and remained active in the Bay Area art community. By the time of the race in 1975, he had some experience building vehicles, as his artistic practice incorporated many kinetic elements. However, as Cooper will admit, his derby car design favored form over function, resulting in almost no forward visibility whatsoever.  

To operate the car, the driver laid flat, looking through the acrylic bubble and steering by means of foot stirrups and weight shifts. Brakes were operated by hand, and in the instance of the race at McLaren Park, continuously. Cooper recalls taking the course very slowly and holding the brakes for the duration of the descent, primarily because he was unable to see over his chest and had to maintain course by looking to his left and right. Nevertheless, the derby car finished in one piece, and Cooper secured an award for the “Most Professional” entry. Japanese-American artist Masatoyo Kishi designed the trophy. 

“Making beautiful things for the fun and joy of doing it is part of the whole craftsman’s movement.”

Forty-seven years later, the Artists’ Soapbox Derby returned to McLaren Park featuring more than fifty artist-made custom cars, fostering a renewed appreciation for joy and imagination in the community. While Cooper’s derby car never made a second run on the course, it remains emblematic of the artist’s ingenuity and exquisite craftsmanship. In 1976, it was featured in the seminal exhibition California Design ’76: A Bicentennial Celebration at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles under the section, “Divertissements and Tours de Force” and prompted the author to remark, “Making beautiful things for the fun and joy of doing it is part of the whole craftsmen’s movement.” Since then, Cooper’s derby car has continued to spark joy and intrigue as a feature of numerous exhibitions of the artist’s work around the country.

Today, Los Angeles Modern Auctions is delighted to be offering it as part of the California Design auction, where it will once again invite admirers to appreciate Cooper's blend of creativity, craftsmanship and remarkable artistry.