Graham Budd Auctions Mickalene Thomas x DART Car Zoë Helmet
One of the most striking pieces in our 75 Years of Formula 1: Ultimate British GP Live Auction is the DART Car x Mickalene Thomas, Zoë Helmet - a hand-painted, FIA-certified helmet worn by Zoë Barry in the SRO Sonoma Series.
Created by acclaimed American artist Mickalene Thomas, the helmet fuses motorsport with her signature visual language - bold, textured, and rooted in themes of identity, power, and beauty. It’s a one-of-one design, worn at speed and now headed to auction.
The helmet is part of the DART Car Project, co-founded by Barry and art advisor Spring McManus. The initiative brings together motorsport and contemporary art - with women at the centre.
“Wearing Mickalene’s helmet was one of the most empowering moments of my career,” said Zoë Barry, co-founder and lead driver. “To help bring fine art into the heart of motorsport is not just about visibility—it’s about redefining what excellence looks like in spaces that have traditionally excluded women.”
DART fields an all-female team racing a McLaren Artura in international endurance events. Thomas also designed the car livery and custom race suits, creating a cohesive aesthetic that’s as fierce as it is fresh.
Currently the subject of a major international retrospective, All About Love, with stops in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, London, and Paris, Thomas extends her practice to the racetrack here. The helmet design draws on her Tête de Femme series, turning functional race gear into wearable art.
This is the first Mickalene Thomas artwork to be worn in professional racing - and the first to appear at auction in this form.
“I’m passionate about the intersection of art and women in sports,” explains Mickalene Thomas in Galerie Magazine. “This collaboration with DART Car embodies the perfect union of art and feminism as a potent fusion of creativity, speed, and female empowerment, challenging stereotypes by inspiring innovation and redefining the boundaries of power and beauty of women in the driver seat.”
“This collaboration is a love letter to female ambition,” said Spring McManus, co-founder of DART Car Project and art advisor. “It’s about breaking down silos—between disciplines, industries, and expectations—and proving that when women lead with creativity, courage, and conviction, they don’t just participate, they transform the game.”
Proceeds from the sale will fund DART’s 2025 race season and commission the next female artist to design the team’s helmet, car, and suit - ensuring the project continues to champion women in both motorsport and visual art.
Not just a collector’s item. A movement.
Going under the hammer live at Escapade Silverstone, July 3rd.
Collectors from the worlds of fine art, luxury fashion, and motorsport culture are expected to bid.
For full auction details and registration, visit this link.
For press inquiries and high-resolution images, contact:
press@grahambuddauctions.co.uk
