Four pieces of art have been unveiled by Yorkshire artist Mackenzie Thorpe to celebrate the 2019 Tour de Yorkshire.
Mackenzie was confirmed as the official Tour de Yorkshire artist for 2019 when the full route for the fifth edition – which takes place between May 2 to 5 – was announced in December.
The four works, entitled Yorkshire Coast, Over Moor and Dale, Riding with Grandad and The Boy Without a Bike, were revealed this week at Arthaus Gallery in Richmond.
Speaking at the launch of the artworks, Mackenzie Thorpe said: “I’m absolutely thrilled and honoured to be the official artist for the Tour de Yorkshire. For me the whole county is a never-ending inspiration; the dramatic skies, the dales and the moors are like nowhere I have ever been.
“When I was thinking about the images, I knew I wanted to create a collection which also reflected the broader impact the race has on people.
“So, alongside images of peak fitness cyclists speeding through our glorious hills, dales and coast, there is for instance ‘Riding with Grandad’ which shows a child in a Yorkshire town, learning to ride a bicycle, aided by their grandfather.
Or ‘The Boy Without a Bike’; a lone child standing watching the racers speed past and dreaming of the day that he too might ride like the wind on a bicycle all of his own.
“This is what the race is all about for me, who couldn’t fail to be moved by the sheer spectacle and impact the race has on anyone who comes into contact with it.”
Sir Gary Verity DL, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “Mackenzie has a global following. As well as the UK, his work adorns galleries throughout America, Japan and Australia, and celebrity collectors include HM Queen Elizabeth II, JK Rowling, and Tom Hardy.
“This new and stunning collection will promote the beauty of Yorkshire and the spirt of the Tour de Yorkshire to a massive audience.”
