Curated by the artistic director of the Atelier du Quai des Artistes’ exhibitions – Mr OneTeas – the new exhibition Motors is bringing together a diverse collective of contemporary artists exploring the world of motorsport.

During a press conference on Thursday 7th May at Quai des Artistes in Monaco — where the exhibition Motors is currently on display — artist Mr OneTeas presented the vision behind the exhibition: an artistic exploration of motorsport in all its forms. Moving beyond Formula 1 and Grand Prix racing alone, Motors embraces the wider universe of mechanical sports, from historic racing and endurance competitions to motorcycle culture, interpreted through a diverse range of artistic styles and mediums.

“The concept behind the exhibition was not to invite a single artist to create an entire series around motorsport, but rather to bring together artists from very different backgrounds, including some who had never worked with this theme before and agreed to experiment with it for the occasion,” artist Mr OneTeas to local press.

Motors, which opened on 30th April, brings together an eclectic collective of artists united by a shared fascination with motorsport. Painters, graffiti artists, and sculptors take over the venue’s walls and spaces, as distinctive talents explore speed, movement, competition, and mechanical beauty through their own visual languages — all while the Principality itself pulses to the sound of roaring engines and screeching tires.

The exhibition features works by Harry James, Sly2, Mr OneTeas, Indy Saki, Loris Quintana, Kotek, Dario Vella, Asia Nasi, Rice, Francis Puivif, Fred-Z, Jordane Saget and Gérard Haton-Gauthier.

More than a celebration of racing, Motors invites visitors to pause and rediscover — through a fresh artistic perspective — the emotion, mythology, and aesthetic power of a discipline that has inspired generations of legends.

The artists behind Motorse

The exhibition itself is highly eclectic. Many of the artists come from urban art and graffiti culture. One striking example is the painting of a young girl wearing a racing suit marked “Féérie” instead of “Ferrari”. The artist, Sly2, created this work to question the place of women in Formula 1 today: when will we finally see women competing alongside men at the highest level of motorsport? The work has a dreamlike, poetic atmosphere — set in a schoolyard, with a young girl imagining herself as a future racing driver.

Most artists created two formats for the exhibition: one large and one smaller piece. Some works arrived at the last minute, like Jordane Saget’s installation representing the starting lights of a race. Originally, the work was over two meters long and featured all the race lights together; here, only part of the installation is shown.

“Dario Vella, whose work we previously exhibited in a solo show, contributed pieces in his recognisable universe populated by animals and fable-like imagery. Here, vintage racing cars coexist with foxes and farm animals, creating playful narratives inspired by motorsport,” said Mr OneTeas. “We were also delighted to include Harry James, who created a portrait of Charles Leclerc in his distinctive style, as well as a hybrid creature inspired by Lewis Hamilton — continuing his fascination with transformation and mythology.”

Many artists wanted to pay homage to racing driver Ayrton Senna, but l’Atelier du Quai des Artistes chose to include only one homage by Harry James, framed by works from Francis Puivif. He poetically combines everyday objects and reclaimed materials, creating works that move between sculpture and painting. His works at Motors create a fascinating dialogue between the circuit and the circus.

From Fangio to modern life: The vision of Mr OneTeas

Graffiti artist, painter, photographer, and sculptor based in Monaco, Anthony Alberti — better known under the artist name Mr OneTeas — is actively involved in major events in the Principality, whether art-related or not. He has developed a deep understanding of the local cultural landscape, where he has become a key figure.

As artistic director of the Atelier du Quai des Artistes’ exhibitions, he also contributed his own work to this show, for which he personally brought together the group of artists forming the Motors collective.

“One is a portrait of Juan Manuel Fangio, known as El Maestro or El Chueco. Fangio originally dreamed of becoming a football player before turning to motorsport and eventually becoming a five-time world champion. Since Monaco was one of his legendary victories, I wanted to pay tribute to him here,” said the artist.

His second work, Racing Through Life, was created using authentic vintage oil cans. It reflects on the speed of modern life — how we rush constantly, until events like the pandemic suddenly force us to stop and reconsider time itself. 

The many faces of MOTORS

One of the most touching stories in the exhibition is that of an 18-year-old artist exhibiting for the very first time. Mr OneTeas discovered her pencil drawings by chance at her father’s home in Italy and was immediately struck by their quality. Since she is passionate about automobiles, he invited her to participate in this exhibition. For Motors, she created her very first acrylic portrait.

“I loved the contrast between such a young emerging artist and our oldest exhibiting artist, Gérard Haton-Gauthier, who has decades of experience — it created a beautiful dialogue between generations,” said the artistic director of l’Atelier du Quai des Artistes.

Fred Genovese, who goes by the artist name Fred-Z, contributed a work titled Rhinocerosso, inspired both by Ferrari’s iconic “Testa Rossa” and by classical art history. The piece, depicting a rhinoceros in Ferrari red with the number 1 on its shoulder — symbolising the dream position every Formula 1 driver aims for — combines racing imagery, checkerboard patterns reminiscent of finish lines, and symbols of ambition, success, and competition.

Loris Quintana, originally a calligrapher and graffiti artist, created works where the image emerges through negative space between layers of calligraphic forms. His pieces explore movement, rhythm, and hidden imagery.

Another remarkable contribution to this exhibition comes from multidisciplinary artist Indy Saki, who created a sculptural Red Bull helmet combining resin, carved wood, and dynamic relief effects to evoke speed and motion.

What makes Motors particularly strong is its this diversity. Rather than simply displaying existing works, most of the artists created entirely new pieces specifically for the exhibition. Each artist brought their own visual language, their own concerns, and their own universe into dialogue with the world of motorsport. That variety is what gives this exhibition its real energy and identity.

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Main photo credit: Virginia D’Umas, Monaco Life