Copious Notes

“More Than Meets The Eye,” the official Kentucky Derby 139 commemorative poster by collage artist Derek Gores.

Collage artist Derek Gores’ More Than Meets the Eye is the official artwork for the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby.

The torn-paper collage depicting three Thoroughbreds running past the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs is made from hundreds of vintage images of Derbys past. It will be available on a wide variety of memorabilia including posters, T-shirts and mugs in the months leading up to the big race, May 4, in Louisville.

Gores is based in Melbourne, Fla., and his client list includes numerous sports entities such as ESPN, NASCAR, the National Football League and Adidas, and commissions have included six collages for the Amway Center, home to the NBA’s Orlando Magic. He also has worked for Lucasfilm, U2, Madonna, Harley-Davidson, Van Halen, LiveNation and JCPenney.

This is the 12th year for Churchill Downs’ Art of the Kentucky Derby series. Previous artists have included sporting art icon Peter Max, and singer and visual artist Tony Bennett.