The Preakness Art of Racing culminated in the announcement of Justin Johnson as the winner of the second-annual national art competition. Johnson's original illustration titled “The Face of Victory” was selected by a panel of judges from among the 207 submissions, each of which depicted the extraordinary elements of Thoroughbred horse racing and the Preakness Stakes.
The winning artwork was announced Tuesday at a ceremony in the Brown Center at the Maryland Institute College of Art. In attendance were Senior Advisor of Art & Culture for the City of Baltimore Tonya Miller, MICA dignitaries, Park Heights Renaissance representatives and 1/ST Racing leadership. Participating artists also attended the announcement and celebrated a tradition that, much like the Preakness, unites communities across Baltimore.
In its second year, the Preakness Art of Racing was launched on January 9th by 1/ST Racing and the Maryland Jockey Club in partnership with MICA through a call for entries to artists nationwide. The submission deadline was March 10th, at which point the public was encouraged to visit at www.preakness.com/the-art-of-racing to cast a vote for their favorite work of art. The top 10 vote-getters were then judged by a panel that included elected officials, community leaders and art professionals to select the winner.
This years' 207 entries surpassed the 2022 inaugural year by more than 40%. The gallery of entries represented the work of artists – from Maryland as well as from 18 other states that included Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin – who were inspired by the beauty of Thoroughbred horse racing on and off the track.
“This recognition leaves room for more opportunities to come my way, more job opportunities in this field, and more connections both personal and professional to establish and cultivate,” said Johnson. “Winning the competition brings me that much closer to achieving my professional goals where I can thrive in a career doing what I love and what brings me happiness.”
As the winner of the second-annual competition, Johnson receives a $4,000 stipend and two tickets to Preakness 148. In addition, his work will be reproduced on a curated collection of Preakness 148 merchandise that will be available for purchase online and onsite during Preakness weekend. Proceeds from the sale of merchandise will be used to support the activities of the Park Heights Renaissance as it pursues affordable housing for families and provides employment opportunities for the people of Park Heights.
“Last year's inaugural run demonstrated a huge interest among Maryland-based artists to depict their beloved Preakness Stakes,” said Audra Madison, Director of Marketing, Maryland Jockey Club. “In expanding the competition to a nationwide audience, we've recognized a similar enthusiasm of artists beyond our region to capture the beauty of Thoroughbred horse racing.”
The ongoing partnership between 1/ST and the Park Heights Renaissance also includes the George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes and the George E. Mitchell Park Heights Community Fellowship Grant, both of which honor the extraordinary legacy of Mitchell himself and recognize individuals who share a similar commitment to their friends and neighbors.
For more information on the Preakness Art of Racing, please visit www.preakness.com/the-art-of-racing or follow @PreaknessStakes and #Preakness on social media.
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