Photo: Jesse Alexander, Fangio, Maserati, Reims, 1958. Pigment-based archival print, 11 x 18 inches.
In the heart of the France’s Champagne-Ardenne region, a new sport was born in 1926 with the creation of the second Grand Prix de la Marne in Reims-Gueux. The 7.816 km road course was built to accommodate the demand for motorsport, a hot new activity that captivated the public’s imagination. In 1954, photographer Jesse Alexander attended his first Grand Prix. Standing on the starting line with his camera, Alexander realized, “I’m an artist…and this is my calling.”
Also: To Be The G.O.A.T., You Must Be “Relentless”
From that moment on, Alexander dedicated himself to traversing the earth to document motorsport’s most epic races, legendary drivers, memorable moments., and technical advancements in the field. In the 1960s, he became the European correspondent for Car and Driver magazine in the 1960s, Alexander traveled to France, Belgium, Germany, and Italy to cover Formula One and the famous long distance sports car races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio.
Jesse Alexander, Monaco Start, 1966. Pigment-based archival print, 12 1/2 x 19 inches. Courtesy of the artist.
A selection of 70 photographs from the 1950s, ‘60s, and ‘70s is on view in the new exhibition Jesse Alexander: The Golden Age of Motorsport at the Wichita Art Museum, Kansas, now through October 2, 2016. Alexander’s work is a visual history of racing, documenting the sport and its practitioners, as well as the intense emotions the sport arouses.
Alexander’s eye for the full picture–setting, action, and style—as well as his impeccable timing created an artistic portfolio that is unrivaled in the photographic world, bringing the aesthetic of masters to the captains of the machine age. The adrenaline of the speedway, the energy of the crowds, the laser-focus of the racing teams all conspire to create a series of images that are beautifully rendered moments of a nail-biting sport.
Jesse Alexander, Jim Clark, Grand Prix of Belgium, 1962. Pigment-based archival print, 12 x 18 1/2 inches. Courtesy of the artist.
Alexander reveals, “As a young boy growing up during World War II, I was captivated by the imagery that came out of the war through the eyes of legendary photographers like Edward Steichen and W. Eugene Smith. My other heroes include Henri Cartier Bresson, Jacques Lartigue, Mary Ellen Mark, Bruce Davidson and Robert Capa.”
The Golden Age of Motorsport includes prints from Alexander’s famous series documenting the Monaco Grand Prix from the 1950s through the ‘70s. Attended by Princess Grace and husband Prince Rainier of Monaco, the Monaco Grand Prix epitomized the glamour, prestige, and suspense of European motorsport racing.
Jesse Alexander, Ferrari Mechanic, Reims, 1954. Pigment-based archival print, 15 x 15 inches. Courtesy of the artist.
Taken as a whole, The Golden Age of Motorsport offers the opportunity to reflect the space in which photography occupies, not only to bare witness to the great feats of sport, but to preserve the moment for history. There is a charm that underlies Alexander’s work in its ability to recreate the excitement and energy that is the very essence of motorsport.
All photos: ©Jesse Alexander, courtesy of the artist.
Miss Rosen is a New York-based writer, curator, and brand strategist. There is nothing she adores so much as photography and books. A small part of her wishes she had a proper library, like in the game of Clue. Then she could blaze and write soliloquies to her in and out of print loves.
