Canvassing Opinion: Painting the Giro d’Italia
Stage 1 on the Giro and the Bunch Dreams
In this painting I have imagined, in semi-abstract form, the individual riders in the peloton dreaming of winning the first stage. The fame and honour of wearing the pink jersey, even if only for one day, would be a reputation built forever. National flags are positioned on each rider’s race number illustrating how international modern cycling has become.
Venice in Pink
This is a celebration of the Giro’s 2009 centenary opening stage team time-trial in Venice (the date is shown on the clock). The painting is my imaginary portrayal of the occasion where two rival Italian teams pass each other. Pink is the overriding colour adorning the ancient city – the gondola mooring poles, the falling clouds of confetti, the cheering crowd of Venetian masks. Even the pink decorative bricks are undergoing a metamorphosis into the trademark globe of the sponsor’s logo – a fantasy scene enacted under the gaze of the Venetian winged lion.
Grazie Fausto
This is my homage to Fausto Coppi. The main image is his pink maglia rosa but I’ve placed the map of his passion – Italy – as a sweat stain seeping from his heart. Also, there are the sacred colours of his Bianchi jersey and bike. The numbers, shown as race numbers, are the years of his victories in the Giro d’Italia. The background is an abstract representation of the Dolomites, scene of some of his greatest exploits.
The post Canvassing Opinion: Painting the Giro d’Italia appeared first on The world's finest cycling magazine.