Accepted by Ferrari's Design Director.
Formerly held at Maranello, Italy.
Exhibited at H.R. Owen Ferrari, Mayfair.
Ferrari Heart
Acrylic on repurposed stretchered canvas
76 × 76 × 4 cm 2016
Ferrari Heart is one of the defining works within Teddy McDonald’s practice, representing a continued exploration of Italian design, emotional connection and the cultural significance of iconic objects.
In 2017, the work came to the attention of Flávio Manzoni, Ferrari's Design Director. Following his acceptance of the piece in early 2018, correspondence confirmed that he considered the work appropriate to be placed within Ferrari's internal design studio in Maranello — alongside reference works including a large canvas by Frank Stella.
Several years later, the work was returned following Ferrari’s internal policy concerning the use of the Ferrari name without a commercial licence. It was driven personally from Maranello to the United Kingdom by a Ferrari-appointed driver — a detail that perhaps speaks to the unusual regard in which it was held.
2025 Exhibition
Ferrari Heart was exhibited at H.R. Owen Ferrari's Mayfair boutique in London, shown to private clients and Ferrari collectors in the presence of Federico Pastorelli, Head of Ferrari North Europe.
Provenance Note
All references to Ferrari and Flávio Manzoni relate to private correspondence conducted in a professional capacity.
Ferrari S.p.A has confirmed there has never been any formal commercial relationship, association or endorsement between Ferrari and the artist. The history of this work is presented solely as factual provenance based on private correspondence and archival documentation.
What this history represents is something rarer than institutional ownership — a contemporary work entering one of the world's most closed and influential design environments, considered on its own terms.