CARMEL, Calif. – Aug. 03, 2016 – Automotive Fine Arts Society (AFAS) member Klaus Wagger will display several new vintage racing paintings at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® Aug. 21, 2016, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., in Pebble Beach, California. Wagger is known for his ability to capture the drama of auto racing through stunning movement in his art. Sponsored by The Lincoln Motor Company, the 2016 AFAS exhibit at the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links in beautiful Pebble Beach, California, will showcase the latest creations from the world’s finest automotive artists.

One of Wagger’s featured works is titled “peak performance”.  Measuring approximately 55” X 35.5”, this acrylic on canvas, depicts a vivid scene from 1938 of German Ace Herrman Lang on his way up the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse, Austria’s highest mountain road. In 1938 and 1939, in an attempt to demonstrate their superiority, Mercedes and Auto Union would routinely showcase their ultimate performance vehicles, the W125 and the C-Type. While both cars were obsolete for Grand Prix racing they were able to consistently blow away the opposition in the European hill climb championship.

“Race cars and mountains are two things that play a big part in my life and the combination of both has a particular fascination for me,” said Wagger. “I wanted to capture the spirited competition and intensity involved in European Hill climbing. As a long-time enthusiast of this genre of racing, I’m very excited to debut this new piece of art to the public at Pebble Beach.”

Another one of Wagger’s paintings that will be on display at Pebble Beach is titled “unstuck”. This acrylic on canvas measuring approximately 32” x 17” depicts a BMW 2002 Alpina cresting a road course at speed.

“Growing up, the BMW 2002 Alpina was a fixture in the Austrian national racing scene and left a lasting impression on my young mind,” said Wagger. “This particular painting is not about any certain race or driver, it represents fond memories I share with people my age. It was a time when motorsport racing was relatively carefree. With BMW celebrating 100 years of driving excellence, this is my personal tribute to their achievements.”

Wagger grew up in the Austrian Tirol. He graduated with a degree in Industrial Design and began freelancing as a technical illustrator. It was at the Retromobile in Paris where his painting career really took off. Automotive art has always been a strong feature of the premier French show and in 2002, Wagger’s style was the talk of the show. Realistic backgrounds don’t interest Wagger, who prefers to put the background colors in quickly to set the mood, and then see the painting develop, surprises included.

About the Automotive Fine Arts Society
AFAS was established in 1983 by a group of artists who are acknowledged by critics to be among the best in their field. Members work in many diverse mediums including oil, watercolors, acrylics, wood, gouache, pen & ink, clay and metal. AFAS and its members participate in select shows across the country including the Pebble Beach Concours d´Elegance, Dana Point Concours d’Elegance and the Amelia Island Concours d´Elegance. Information about AFAS is available at www.autoartgallery.com or by contacting Tyler Weiland at 214.520.3430 X 302 or TWeiland@tprm.com

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