Checked it Out (CIO) is a Porsche gathering that went off this year in the Fulton Market District of Chicago. This is truly a case where the photos tell the story. And if you think there are a lot of photos here, just imagine how many I had to painstakingly cut. But here’s the thing:
There’s something almost unparalleled with the way Porsches (especially the vintage sort) interact with their environment.
There is so much substance in these photos. The little details & design cues – the way the cars, the people, and the city all intermesh. That’s the impact of a true sports car. All passion, no compromise. People were eager to pass on convenience… for an experience. And as a people, we spoke the language of car. Authenticity superseded efficiency. If we’re being honest, we don’t see that today. Mentality has changed. And authenticity died-off little by little, accelerated by the convenience that comes from living in a digital/virtual world. Personally…
I grew up around Porsches during the 80s & 90s in Jacksonville, Florida…
Peak location & timing if I might say so myself. I also grew up around stacks-on-stacks of automotive magazines… many of which I still have in the attic. There’s no need to tell you how much media has changed (for better and worse). But for me, absorbing the images in a magazine (to this day) has no equal. Nothing in the digital world compares to the fire that it can put in you. Fire without comments to douse the flames. The digital world moves too fast… a lot like our digital cars do. Magazines used to be a refuge. But today’s media beats you over the head every time you open your phone. It’s desensitizing. Whether you realize it or not… that’s what it is. So let the details sink-in here. These photos were taken by Cody Martin. And they called me back to those long-lost days, where I would fall into my dad’s Porsche magazines, and the photos would just – absorb into me.
2024 Checked It Out coverage…
