When cars become art: Ivan Toscanelli exhibits at the Spa Six Hours

On 25 and 27 September, German photographer Ivan Toscanelli will present an exclusive selection of poetic photographs of historic cars in an art gallery within the Paddock Experience.

His work goes far beyond traditional automotive photography. His images are closer to poetic essays, offering an almost cinematic experience of the remarkable cars that gather every year for Roadbook’s Spa Six Hours.

One of the photographer’s most iconic works was created during the 2025 edition.

It portrays a battered yet defiant Shelby Cobra, capturing a unique moment of complicity, tension and audacity during the legendary Six Hours — the endurance race organised every year by Roadbook at Spa-Francorchamps for enthusiasts of historic motorsport.

Classic cars such as those seen at Spa-Francorchamps carry not only a rich cultural history, but personal memories too. They have the power to create a remarkable intensity, both visually and emotionally.

To reveal the unique aura of each car, Ivan Toscanelli creates photographs in “silent motion”, like silent films captured in a single atmospheric frame. While drivers and mechanics follow and listen to the rhythm of the engine, the photographer uses accents of light to create an inner, poetic sense of movement.

His work offers a different perspective on these machines, portraying them through revealing darkness and the subtle suggestion of their forms.

These poetic automotive portraits take the cars beyond the purely technical world of competition, presenting them instead as creative works capable of captivating collectors, drivers, spectators and art lovers alike.

Most of the photographs have been created especially for this exhibition at the Spa Six Hours and have never been shown before — either online or in a gallery.

With his highly distinctive style, Ivan Toscanelli has worked internationally on projects for brands including Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.

Site web : https://www.toscanelli-speed.com/