‘Seven’ is the latest sculpture from Dennis Hoyt, measures seven-feet long, weighs less than 10kg and commemorates the most successful car in Formula 1 history: Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari F2004
[Not a valid template]A few days ago we introduced you to Dennis Hoyt, avid car fan, Ferrari fanatic and an unbelievably talented gentleman with a block of wood and a planer. His previous sculptures have included a Porsche 917 Longtail, a Ferrari 612 and a 24 Hours of Le Mans tribute measuring a whopping 12-feet long, the precision and patience required for which is truly terrifying. Then there’s the American artist’s latest work, a piece significant to both the Tifosi and Formula 1 fans around the world.
Entitled ‘Seven’, the sculpture is a tribute to Michael Schumacher’s F1 Ferrari F2004, the car in which F1’s most successful driver took 13 victories from 18 starts, his seventh and final world championship in 2004, and his fifth on the bounce for the Scuderia.
Pay particular attention to that keyword: ‘sculpture’. It’s a significant term for Dennis, since ‘models’ by their definition are literal representations of a subject on a smaller scale. ‘Literal’ is certainly not a word you could use to describe Seven.
“This piece took more than six months to complete from beginning to end”, Dennis explains. “It is constructed with approximately 50 pieces of wood, although the front and rear suspension are made out of metal. If wood were used in these areas, it would be too fragile to support the piece. The piece only weighs 7kg in total!”
During his two decades and 307 starts in Formula 1, Michael Schumacher raced 19 different cars for Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari and latterly Mercedes-Benz, but the Ferrari F2004 was always going to be the subject for Dennis’ latest work: an ‘ill-timed’ move to Mercedes black-balls the F1 W03, despite this being the last F1 single seater Schumacher ever raced. The striking Maranello red was another significant reason for the choice, but the German’s 94 and ’95 titles with Benetton are not forgotten, represented as they are by the tyre smoke painted blue and green – the team colours during Schumacher’s tenure – rolling elegantly off the rear wheels. One wonders how the artist conjured up such a design…
“Imagination, imagination, imagination”, Dennis continues. “I always try to create something different from the pack and ‘set myself apart’ from the rest, as it were. No two pieces will ever be the same and I firmly believe that I must give the client something that is truly unique and exclusive. This piece for example is seven feet long” – one for each championship – “but should someone be interested I have ideas for pieces that exceed 30 metres in length!”
We’ll be in touch Dennis.
– Our thanks to Dennis Hoyt
