Driven
By Jesse Alexander
Many great photographers have documented the history of motorsport, but few have captured the essence of the sport like Jesse Alexander. “Driven” is Jesse Alexander’s latest book featuring a collection of stunning black-and-white photographs taken between 1954 and 1962.
The content of this book covers predominantly European Grand Prix and sports car racing during its late ’50s heyday. From Le Mans to Monza, Aintree to the Targa Florio, Alexander brews a heady blend of on-track action with behind-the-scenes glimpses of the personalities that made the period what it was.
On first glance at the selected photographs in this book, one is immediately struck by the incredible artistic composition of each and every shot. Alexander’s work truly transcends the term “motorsport photography” and is, in fact, motorsport art.
Of particular fascination, for me, is the haunting quality of many of Alexander’s candid shots taken of the participants. These shots possess an almost voyeuristic closeness – as if we are seeing an insight so personal that we should feel a little bit guilty. While this may sound a bit “mystical,” after an hour of pouring through the 100-plus, large-format, duo-tone images, you’ll see what I mean.
If forced to find a criticism of this fine book, I would likely say that the separation of the captions (in the back of the book) from the images is a little distracting. I kept finding myself wondering the “Who, What, Where” and having to constantly flip to the back for the answer. However, this is just personal preference and in no way detracts from what is a treasured keeper. Available from Classic Motorbooks (800) 826-6600 for $35.00.
