“AMERICAN PHAROAH AT SPEED- ABSTRACT REALISM”

2019

Dimensions: 120” x 90”

Medium: Axalta Cromax AT on Aluminum

Artist: Peter Maier

In American Pharoah at Speed, Peter Maier redefines the language of photorealism through a singular convergence of motion, machine, and myth. Executed in Axalta’s proprietary automotive pigments—typically reserved for custom Ferraris and rare concept cars—this monumental panel transcends traditional painting, achieving a surface intensity that shifts with light and perspective.

At once meditative and explosive, the piece captures not merely the form of the Triple Crown-winning stallion, but its velocity. Blurred color bands recall time-lapse photography or speed radar—visual cues Maier manipulates to compress time and challenge perception.

Positioned between classical equestrian portraiture and post-industrial abstraction, this work reflects Maier’s decades as a General Motors concept artist and his rare mastery of controlled chaos. It belongs in collections that understand power not as stillness, but as movement, captured at its most precise.