Artist's Statement

It is not often that someone puts upon themselves the duty to help those who are suffering. Gino Bartali was not directly associated with Jewish people prior to the war. However, his deep moral values when he saw the discrimination and hatred faced against them drove him to take action. He knew right from wrong, and most importantly, he held fervor in his heart. When Bartali rode his bike, there was one thing on his mind: ridding injustice to the greatest extent of his power. And that he did! Bartali traveled however far his set of wheels took him with his bicycle frame full of forged documents, not looking back a single moment to peek into the doubt of whatever chased him. The way I see it, his messenger hat entangled with the gleaming Tour de France medal took to the air behind him without notice, and he never once looked back—for this was the fight for the world’s future.