Red Racing Flower: Dufilho’s vibrant tribute to the Ferrari 330 P4
A monumental sculpture transforms the legendary Ferrari 330 P4 from the 1967 Le Mans 24 Hours into a permanent installation in the heart of Le Touquet, creating a dialogue between automotive art and urban space.
The Ferrari 330 P4 reinvented as an urban monument
Red Racing Flower is Antoine Dufilho’s monumental interpretation of the Ferrari 330 P4 from the 1967 Le Mans 24 Hours. This impressive creation measures 4.60 m x 1.93 m and weighs 1.7 tons.
The artist chose this iconic model to create a sculpture that transcends simple representation. Ferrari red, the emblematic color of the prancing-horse brand, adorns the 100 3mm aluminum slats that make up the work. This work marks a turning point in Dufilho’s artistic approach, transforming the racing car into accessible public art.
The architecture of a mechanical flower: expanded aluminum wings
The hundred lacquered aluminum plates are the structural essence of Red Racing Flower. Dufilho describes their arrangement poetically: they “open like a flower beginning to bloom.” This floral metaphor gives the creation its name and reveals the creative intent: to transform mechanical power into organic grace.
The artist plays with 360-degree transparency effects between full and empty spaces. The plates follow the curves of the bodywork, each with a different angle. The spaces between them gradually increase and decrease, creating an effect of acceleration. The sculpture appears to be propelled by its wheels, with the plates “unfolding like wings” around them, creating the illusion of a car in full race.
The central paradox lies in this ability to create an impression of lightness with almost 2 tons of metal. The skilful arrangement of 3 mm slats transforms mass into movement, heaviness into airy elegance. The piece defies the laws of perception, embodying speed in immobility.
From the 24 Hours of Le Mans to Le Touquet: a prestigious route
Red Racing Flower has had a remarkable exhibition career. The work was presented at the 24 Heures du Mans in the Village, alongside Caméléon, another monumental creation by Dufilho. This exhibition at the heart of the legendary event represented a high point for the artist: “I fulfilled a childhood dream,” he confides. The support of Jean Todt, who has been following his work for several years, as well as Stéphane Fillastre of the FIA and the organizers of the ACO, made this exceptional presentation possible.
La Baule had previously hosted the sculpture from July to September 2020, a first public exhibition which enabled the impact on spectators to be measured. Le Touquet then offered to install the work permanently in its center, in front of the Westminster Hotel. This permanent installation enshrines the creation as part of the seaside town’s urban heritage.
The kinetic experience: when the viewer brings the work to life
“The static object comes alive because of the kinetic vision of the viewer who wanders around it. He obtains a different interpretation depending on his point of observation,” explains Dufilho. This interactive dimension transforms every passer-by into an actor, creating a unique experience for every visitor.
At Le Mans, the artist stresses that he has “always considered the 24 hours as a source of admiration and inspiration.” This emotional connection is reflected in the sculpture, which captures the essence of the race. The warm reception from the public at the exhibition confirmed the success of this transmission of emotion.
The room now lives to the rhythm of the seasons in front of the Westminster. Natural light plays with the lacquered red, creating changing reflections depending on the angle of the sun. Morning casts elongated shadows on the lawn, while midday makes the Ferrari red vibrate. On rainy days, the aluminum shines differently, offering a new reading of the composition.
A Ferrari turned urban and artistic icon
Red Racing Flower transcends mere automotive homage to become a major piece of French contemporary art. By metamorphosing the 330 P4 into a permanent monument, Dufilho offers Le Touquet a new landmark. The creation establishes an unprecedented dialogue between the automotive heritage of the 1960s and the sculptural art of the XXIᵉ century.
In front of the Westminster, this mechanical flower with aluminum wings continues to capture the essence of speed in absolute immobility. The hundred 3 mm elements perpetuate the myth of the P4, transforming a racing legend into an artistic meditation accessible to all. This achievement proves that a racing car can become urban poetry, that a Ferrari can bloom permanently in the heart of a city.
Antoine Dufilho’s work succeeds in combining mechanical performance and artistic contemplation. From the 24 Hours of Le Mans village to the permanent installation in Le Touquet, Red Racing Flower embodies this “childhood dream” turned monumental reality. The 1967 Ferrari 330 P4 eternally dialogues with the XXIᵉ century, transformed into a living cultural heritage.