2020 Indianapolis 500 Original Alex Wakefield Program Cover Artwork
Hall of Fame Collection is honored to be able to offer our patrons the original artwork that adorned the cover of the official program for the historic 104th running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2020. This was the first year in history that the race would be held without spectators in the grandstands due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also the first race to be held at the Speedway under its new owner Roger Penske.
The artwork was composed by Iowa native Alex Wakefield. As a youngster living near the town of Burlington, Wakefield developed an interest in motorsports while being around the many local gear heads and motorsports enthusiasts of the day, all the while becoming fascinated by their stories and the sounds, colors and vibrations of car racing. All of these influences would shape his outlook and artwork and, as a result, he doesn't feel he needs to stick to one particular style and likes to have the freedom of being able to portray motorsport in many different ways.
“I want to show motorsport from my viewpoint. I want to take the viewer on a colorful, exciting ride into a sport I’m passionate about. If it’s something that you, the viewer, are moved and inspired by, then all the better”.
The cover art pays homage to “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” with a highly detailed timeline of some of the greatest moments, people, and machinery that have defined the Indy 500. From the founding fathers of the famed Indiana two and a half-mile racetrack, all the way through to today’s current owner, it features many of the personalities whose names are synonymous with the race including Fisher, Harroun, Shaw, Rose, Hulman, Foyt, Penske and so many more. The artwork takes race fans on a journey through time and is filled with many of the special moments that have defined events held at the “Racing Capital of the World”.
The work took Alex five hundred hours to complete and is composed of mixed media on a 28 x 14-inch illustration artboard. The work is unframed at the moment but can be custom framed at the purchaser's wish.
The artwork will come with a full Letter of Authenticity from the artist.
An interview with Alex and Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles, on how the artist created the fabulous cover artwork can be seen here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72NFcAN36YQ
The artwork was composed by Iowa native Alex Wakefield. As a youngster living near the town of Burlington, Wakefield developed an interest in motorsports while being around the many local gear heads and motorsports enthusiasts of the day, all the while becoming fascinated by their stories and the sounds, colors and vibrations of car racing. All of these influences would shape his outlook and artwork and, as a result, he doesn't feel he needs to stick to one particular style and likes to have the freedom of being able to portray motorsport in many different ways.
“I want to show motorsport from my viewpoint. I want to take the viewer on a colorful, exciting ride into a sport I’m passionate about. If it’s something that you, the viewer, are moved and inspired by, then all the better”.
The cover art pays homage to “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” with a highly detailed timeline of some of the greatest moments, people, and machinery that have defined the Indy 500. From the founding fathers of the famed Indiana two and a half-mile racetrack, all the way through to today’s current owner, it features many of the personalities whose names are synonymous with the race including Fisher, Harroun, Shaw, Rose, Hulman, Foyt, Penske and so many more. The artwork takes race fans on a journey through time and is filled with many of the special moments that have defined events held at the “Racing Capital of the World”.
The work took Alex five hundred hours to complete and is composed of mixed media on a 28 x 14-inch illustration artboard. The work is unframed at the moment but can be custom framed at the purchaser's wish.
The artwork will come with a full Letter of Authenticity from the artist.
An interview with Alex and Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles, on how the artist created the fabulous cover artwork can be seen here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72NFcAN36YQ