Rockstars And Royalty—Who Sail—Are Celebrated In Rare Modern Art Collection

The Rock & Royals art exhibit debuted at the Yacht Club de Monaco in September

©Kos Evans

What do Pete Townshend, the King of Spain, Allegra Gucci, JFK, the Prince of Monaco, and the Duke of Edinburgh have in common? They’re all passionate sailors who’ve donated sails to an award-winning photographer—KOS Evans—to be part of her groundbreaking Rock & Royals modern art collection that debuted during Monaco Classic Week at the Yacht Club de Monaco recently.

The genius of Rock & Royals began at the most recent America’s Cup in Barcelona, where KOS launched Carbon Canvas, a collection of sail sculptures crafted from sails of legendary America’s Cup yachts. The enthusiastic response to that exhibition inspired the vision for Rock & Royals where each one-of-a-kind work of art is a meticulously crafted fusion of photography, history, and artistry that KOS creates on extremely rare and often fragile sailcloth.

“Being entrusted with these exceptional materials is an immense honor and responsibility,” she says. “In some cases, only a single fragment of a sail remains. These sails hold untold stories, and my role is to ensure they continue to be seen, felt, and remembered.”

According to KOS, Rock & Royals is more than an exhibition. “It’s a celebration of human endeavor that pays homage to the legends who owned these sails and to the sea itself.” By transforming these authentic pieces of history into art, Kos has created a unique dialogue between history, celebrity, royalty, and contemporary artistic expression.

Before even receiving a historic sail, Kos draws inspiration from the yacht’s history, notable figures, and the surrounding environment, to create her initial image. The challenge and artistry truly unfold once the sail arrives. Adding to the complexity, the printing process itself presents a challenge, not all sail sections readily absorb the archival pigments. But, in the end as you can see, each sail radiates meaning, emotion, and historical significance of a wonderfully exclusive and eclectic group of people.

Pete Townshend: The Last Sernade

The legendary member of The Who is also a passionate sailor who donated this sail from his yacht Serenade. As you can see, the piece captures the explosive spirit of The Who as Townshend’s iconic guitar crashes into a round weld on a yacht that’s a symbol of The Who’s rebellion and restlessness.

King Juan Carlos of Spain: King of the Sixes

This sail was a gift from King Juan Carlos of Spain that commemorates one of his Six-Metre World Championship victories during his reign. This is very sail that propelled him to a World Championship title and is the embodiment of the King’s enduring love of sailing and the sea.

HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco: Deo Juvante Mare Custodimus

The sail form The Yacht Club de Monaco’s flagship yacht Tuiga honors His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco enduring passion for sailing and his commitment to marine conservation. With Tuiga’s iconic sail, Kos has layered the motifs inspired by the Principality’s highest accolades, the Ordre de Saint-Charles and the Order of Grimaldi and captured Monaco’s long-lasting relationship with the sea.

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh:

Donated by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, this sail is from the Duke of Edinburgh’s beloved yacht Bloodhound. This artwork captures the very essence of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. Although weathered, and a heavily used it still has its mast-track sliders, aged into a remarkable sea-green hue. Kos’s rhythmic sequencing image of the Duke’s portrait marked the celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the Royal Thames Yacht Club.

JFK: The Floating White House

The sail that was once owned by President John F. Kennedy was preserved and donated by Ratsey & Lapthorn—the world’s oldest working sail loft that’s been making sails for the world’s most important sailing yachts since 1790! In fact, one of the most iconic photographs of JFK was taken in front of this very sail that KOS reimagined with a bold pop-art treatment and even includes the original brass hanks. A powerful echo to the President’s quote “We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea… we are going back from whence we came”.

Pete Townshend: A little is enough

Townshend has long found solace and inspiration at sea, where many of his iconic songs were conceived. This artwork comes from a time of personal turbulence for Pete Townshend when the vastness of the sea became his refuge. From the depths of heartbreak, the haunting lyrics of “A Little Is Enough” emerged, a testament to the power of small gestures of love. A rich legacy of music runs deep within this sail that was once owned by American born violinist Jascha Heifetz.

Allegra Gucci: Creole

This is a rare surviving section of Creole’s 1927 sail that was meticulously hand-stitched by hundreds of men at Ratsey & Lapthorn for the world’s largest wooden sailing yacht. Now owned by Allegra Gucci, the fragment of sail is more than just cloth. “Creole is a living legacy entrusted to me to protect, to cherish, to pass on,” she says. “I am a guardian of a soul that sails through time.”

In addition to celebrating art and history, Rock & Royals also offers a unique opportunity to acquire art that can be shipped all over the world by the famous art shipping specialists Cadogan Tate. But you should act quick. Only two pieces remain available from this exhibition with a portion of the proceeds being donated to The Ocean Family Foundation and Tusk.