Reimagining the Cadillac Goddess
The Goddess has returned – playing homage to Cadillac’s design history and handcrafted artistry, the beloved Cadillac Goddess has been reimagined for the Cadillac CELESTIQ. Introduced in 1930, the Goddess has seen several iterations over several decades as she evolved with the brand’s design and cultural aspirations. Early examples reflected more classical influences, while later versions such as those of the 1950s took on a more abstract aesthetic that reflected popular Jet Age design trends.
“Reimagining the Goddess was a beautiful experience because it required me to study the past and understand the evolution of what Cadillac is today,” said Cadillac Creative Sculptor Richard Wiquist, who came to the GM Design studios with a background in figurative art. “This rendition introduces a new, soaring form that reflects the brand’s heritage while also driving it into the future.”
Wiquist spent months handcrafting the new Goddess out of clay, refining the delicate impressionistic style until it captured just the right amount of motion and grace. The goal was simply to reinterpret the Goddess for the modern Cadillac, and incorporated into the ultimate-luxury, all-electric CELESTIQ. The front fender trim features a three-dimensional Goddess in molded glass as part of a piece of milled billet aluminum that’s polished, brushed and tinted. The backlit, three-dimensional Goddess emblem is positioned centrally within the multi-function controller and also encased in glass. An aluminum dial around the jewel-like feature turns independently, so the Goddess always stays in the same position.
“After more than 120 years, heritage is an inextricable element of everything Cadillac does, while our future is about perfecting the art of individuality,” said Wiquist. “That comes from greater emotional connections conveyed in design and the process of co-creating imaginative showpieces. That’s exactly what the Goddess represents with CELESTIQ.”
“Reimagining the Goddess was a beautiful experience because it required me to study the past and understand the evolution of what Cadillac is today,” said Cadillac Creative Sculptor Richard Wiquist, who came to the GM Design studios with a background in figurative art. “This rendition introduces a new, soaring form that reflects the brand’s heritage while also driving it into the future.”
Wiquist spent months handcrafting the new Goddess out of clay, refining the delicate impressionistic style until it captured just the right amount of motion and grace. The goal was simply to reinterpret the Goddess for the modern Cadillac, and incorporated into the ultimate-luxury, all-electric CELESTIQ. The front fender trim features a three-dimensional Goddess in molded glass as part of a piece of milled billet aluminum that’s polished, brushed and tinted. The backlit, three-dimensional Goddess emblem is positioned centrally within the multi-function controller and also encased in glass. An aluminum dial around the jewel-like feature turns independently, so the Goddess always stays in the same position.
“After more than 120 years, heritage is an inextricable element of everything Cadillac does, while our future is about perfecting the art of individuality,” said Wiquist. “That comes from greater emotional connections conveyed in design and the process of co-creating imaginative showpieces. That’s exactly what the Goddess represents with CELESTIQ.”