Abu Dhabi: While everyone is busy taking in every detail and excitement at this weekend's Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, British artist Mark Dickens will be busy with a task from his own realm.
As the official artist of the 2011 Formula One season, Dickens has been commissioned to create 19 works of art — that's one panel for each host city this year.
"The aim of this project is to marry motorsport with art while showcasing the beauty and dynamism of each host city and blending the unique world of Formula One with the cultural and architectural significance of each place," Dickens told Gulf News.
Moving around with the F1 circus through the season, Dickens has already incorporated iconic images from around each city along with eye-catching moments taken directly from each race week.
The idea to commission Dickens on the project came from Bernie Ecclestone himself after the F1 supremo saw the British artist's exhibition of ten specially commissioned paintings at the Yas Marina Circuit to mark the inaugural Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2009.
Dickens will have the panels ready for an exhibition in London at the end of January.
