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Coronavirus. Is there a physical event coverage that doesn’t mention this? I don’t think so.

And for good reasons. From one moment to another, without anyone expecting it, our lives were flipped upside down. The way we go out, we greet, we relate with each other, we show love. The way we live.

Last Sunday, after all these months of confinement and extra care, I could finally go physically to an event. Of course, it was an outdoors event, while wearing my face mask 100% of the time and keeping my distance. But the way this recharged my energy, with a perfect weather that seemed to greet us into this new era, was priceless.

Without further ado, welcome to the car art expo “De Autos y Héroes”.

Art, cars and outdoors

This event was organized by the “Asociación Amigos del Paseo Fangio” (Paseo Fangio friends association) together with the group of car artists who go by the name of FUEL-ART (you can find them on Instagram and Facebook) and makes an homage to the protagonists of the “Temporadas Internacionales del Automóvil Club Argentino” (something like International seasons of the Argentinian Car Club) between years 1947 and 1951.

In case this was not enough historic value, there has also been a good amount of artwork related to Juan Manuel Fangio’s sport achievements, who is an inspiration pillar for almost everyone that gathered last weekend at Paseo Fangio.

Above these lines, we can find part of the FUEL-ART team, main protagonists of the event. From left to right: Mario Tagliavini, Hernán Delannoy, Miguel Paolantonio, Claudia Rizzoli, Agustina Montserrat, Jorge García, Daniel Sonzini, Rafael Varela y José Luis Zaccaria.

But you came here for the art. Sadly, although I have taken many pictures in the event, I don’t have pictures I like of every artwork, so I focused on the photos I liked the most.

If you want to see every artwork, you can visit the virtual gallery, o come say hi in the next event 😉

Without further ado, let’s get to the art (and if you want to see the pictures in higher resolution, feel free to visit my gallery).

This event was not just art

As I mentioned earlier, even though the main topic for the gathering was the artwork expo, there was a considerable amount of interesting wheeled partners around.

I’m not gonna lie: my two favorites were the IKA Torino 380W Number 2, one of three protagonists of the Argentinian feat at 1969’s Nürburgring 84 hours race, and a replica of the Alfa Romeo GP Tipo P2. That’s the reason why they will be my main subjects in the photographs.

You can find all the IKA Torino 380W #2 pictures in higher res in this gallery.

You can find all the Alfa Romeo GP Tipo P2 (replica) pictures in higher res in this gallery.

Also present in the event was Martín Glas, researcher and author of books about the Torino, presenting his latest book: “Cuando los tres Torino volvieron a Alta Gracia” (or “When the three Torino returned to Alta Gracia”). In it, he tells the story around the celebration in the city of Alta Gracia, Córdoba, from August 2019.

Martín was very nice to talk to, and was always available for a chat. He told me a bit about the history and chronology of the books, the attention to detail and precision of the data in them. We talked about the illustrations that go together with those stories (a young guy from Chile now working for Pininfarina Shanghai is the author of those, no less!), and even how some of Mario Tagliavini’s kids were surprised (with full kids innocence) of how some historically beaten up cars like the Torino #2 from 1969 were so clean on display.

If you’d like to get some of Martin’s books, you can visit his webpage here. I purchased 3 and as a book collector, I fully recommend them. The way the stories are told is very nice, and the production quality of the book is top notch.

Closing words

We’re living some strange things. That’s why I enjoyed this event this much. Greeting someone (even with just a fist bump) outside of my close circle of friends and family, being able to feel at least for a bit that “everything’s ok” (or at least, not super bad), is almost rejuvenating.

I went specificaly to meet two artists, Migue and Dani, who are “virtual friends” of mine (we knew each other before, but only interacted through Twitter, thanks to our exchange of support regarding our art), and I left with a wide smile on my face, even after forgetting to take a picture together.

Getting to know them, see their artwork (and the rest of the FUEL-ART people), in the flesh, really is something else.

You can take nice pictures, edit them to transmit as much as you can share with the best of intentions, but nothing compares to what’s palpable and tangible. That’s what lets you see every detail (and imperfection, as Migue feared), every brush stroke, intention, attitude and expression. That’s what gives the human touch to all these representations from the heart.

That’s art.

If you got until here, thanks! I hope you liked the story. What’s your favorite part? Which one is your favorite picture? And your favorite artist? I’ll read you in the comments.

If you’d like to interact with me and see my artwork (illustrations and photography) as they get published, you can follow me in social media:

• Creating Lightly on Twitter

• Creating Lightly on Instagram