MICHAEL KAGAN

Michael Kagan through his work is paying homage to the ultimate heroes of our time. Astronauts, supersonic fighter jet pilots and, as in this stunning exhibition at Almine Rech, Formula 1 racing car drivers.The subjects of his spectacular paintings and sculptures are super humans who brave all obstacles and fears in their obsessive and passionate pursuit of records, speed, excellence, and victory. In doing sothey put their own lives on a razor’s edge and galvanize millions ofmotorsport fans lovers around the globe. Their multicolored helmets and racing outfits further emphasize their status as superheroes.Monaco is the ultimate setting and the most prestigious venue in the history of Formula 1. There could not be a more appropriate settingand time to present, for the first time, this unique body of new works byMichael Kagan. It is surprising that, apart from the Italian Futurists who celebrated the automobile in their work in the early 20th century, hardly any artists of any caliber have focused on this fascinating world. In the more recent past, the German photographer Andreas Gursky is one of the few exceptions.I had the privilege of selling a gorgeous astronaut sculpture by Michael Kagan at an amfAR gala auction during the Cannes Film Festival in 2021. It took off like the rockets that take astronauts into space and afterheated competition between several collectors, sold for a record priceand raised badly needed funds for the AIDS charity. The group of worksexhibited here will enter many distinguished collections around theworld, and thanks to Michael Kagan, will remain a unique artistic andtimeless tribute to our human pursuit of constantly pushing our limitsand surpassing ourselves.

— Simon de Pury

Michael Kagan will donate Schumacher II, 2024, to amfAR for the Cannes gala in 2024.