Since 2017, Mr. Doodle has taken the art world by storm with his iconic monochrome scribbles – collectors clamored for his pieces, galleries hosted sold-out exhibitions, and his 2.7-million Instagram followers were buzzing with his latest creations.
After decking out his entire house, the British millennial artist has now turned his attention to Formula One. In collaboration with Oracle Red Bull Racing, Mr. Doodle has recently created a one-of-a-kind livery – The Doodle Bull, a doodle makeover on the F1 team's RB14, which is currently available for sale online until 24 February with a starting bid of £100,000 (around US$121,000).
65% of the net proceeds from the sale will be donated to Oracle Red Bull Racing's official charity, Wings for Life, to support research projects and clinical studies to heal the injured spinal cord.
Mr Doodle | The Doodle Bull RB14 Static Showcar, Black Permanent Ink
530 x 200 x 160 cm (Without nose: 450 x 200 x 160 cm)
Weight: 450 kg
Signed on the rear wing by Mr Doodle & both Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio ‘Checo’ Pérez
Starting Price: £100,000
Auction House: Christie's and The Auction Collective
Auction ends on 24 February, 4pm (Coordinated Universal Time)
Mr. Doodle, otherwise known as Sam Cox, first emerged in the art world in 2016 and quickly shot to fame a year later when videos of him doodling the full interior of a vacant shop in London went viral online. Since then, his doodles have exploded in popularity, landing him tie-ups with major brands such as Fendi, Puma, Adidas and Samsung.
His work first hit the auction block in April 2020, and, within a year, his record had already rocketed to JPY 190 million (US$1.02 million), set by a four-metre green-and-balck canvas titled Spring. While he became a fast-rising art-market force, the artist's goal was not to enter the high-end art market, but rather to invade the world with his eccentric doodles.
His most-recent grand project – one that he referred to as his "best piece of work" – was the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion in Kent in which he covered every inch of it in his signature spontaneous willy-nilly squiggles, from the ceilings and walls to the toilet and even the oven.
Mr. Doodle and his wife's doodle-covered bedroom
Mr. Doodle decked out his entire house and car
The signatures of Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez, Max Verstappen and Mr. Doodle on the rear-wing end plate
From left to right: Max Verstappen, Mr. Doodle and Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez
The 2018 Red Bull RB14
Back on the Doodle Bull, the RB14 is an iconic car that brought Oracle Red Bull Racing four victories. Debuted during the 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship, it collected a total of 419 points in the Constructors' Championship, helping the team to a third-place finish that season. It holds a special place in Red Bull Racing's history as it was the first car to race with the now ubiquitous Halo, a driver crash-protection system that improves driver safety.
The one that Mr. Doodle worked on was a static show car of RB14. Imprinting his trademark cartoonish, black-and-white style by hand across the entire car, the artist left only one space blank – the rear-wing end plate, where he and Red Bull Racing's drivers, Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez and two-time world champion Max Verstappen, put their signatures.
In recent years, there has been a growing trend for F1 car with rich racing history to go under the hammer, often achieving sums well above millions of dollars. In November 2022, a Ferrari F2003 GA driven to five victories by Michael Schumacher during his World Championship winning 2003 F1 season achieved CHF 14.6 million (around US$15.8 million), a record price for a Formula One car ever auctioned.
Ex-Schumacher 2003 Ferrari F2003 GA | Sold for a record CHF14,630,000 in November 2022