GreenBkk.com Formula 1 | Pirelli gets all artistic in Monza

Pirelli gets all artistic in Monza

Formula One tyre supplier Pirelli has reinforced its association with the art world thanks to a uniquely creative project over the 2011 Monza weekend. The Italian firm has joined forces with renowned F1 artist Mark Dickens in a special, fine art collaboration.

Pirelli’s P Zero Formula One tyres - distinguished by brightly coloured markings in order to differentiate between compounds - became giant paintbrushes in the Formula One paddock on Thursday evening to form an eye-catching new artwork.

Some of Pirelli’s wet and intermediate tyres were ‘inked’ and used as rollers on a 10-metre sheet of heavy paper in the paddock. Five drivers - Rubens Barrichello, Timo Glock, Kamui Kobayashi, Jarno Trulli and Mark Webber - were invited to hand-roll the Formula One tyres over the ‘blank canvas’, under Dicken’s supervision.

The resulting artwork combines a number of interlinked patterns and colours, showcasing the unique design of the P Zero Blue intermediate and P Zero Orange wet tyres to form a one-off souvenir from the first Monza weekend of Pirelli’s current Formula One era.

The artist will also photograph parts of the finished canvas and then use these photographs to produce a unique painting of Monza and its Formula One race. This painting will be presented to the city of Monza by Formula One Group CEO, Bernie Ecclestone.

The Monza painting forms part of a series of paintings that Mark Dickens is creating this year: one for each race, again commissioned by Bernie Ecclestone. All the paintings produced are donated back to each Grand Prix’s host venue, reinforcing the links with the local community. But this will be the first time that a Formula One tyre will play such a prominent role in the artwork.

The original painting produced by the drivers rolling the tyres along the ‘canvas’ at Monza will be auctioned at the end of the year by Pirelli, in conjunction with Formula One Management. The proceeds will go to a well-known charity that will be announced in due course.

Pirelli has enjoyed a long association with the art world throughout its motorsport history. This week the Italian tyre firm is also hosting a photographic exhibition and a modern art display in its Milan headquarters as well as in the Formula One Paddock Club at Monza.

Credit: Formula One Administration Ltd (www.formula1.com)