Featuring work by such acclaimed artists as Alexander Calder, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, David Hockney and Jeff Koons, the BMW Art Car Collection is revving up for a world tour to mark its 50th anniversary.
This unparalleled collection represents a snapshot of the history of art since 1975. A fleet of astounding, artistically designed BMWs, it takes in such diverse movements as minimalism, pop art, magical realism, abstraction, conceptual art and digital art.
Each of the twenty automobiles is created in the artist’s own individual style. Over the next few months, these eclectic, charismatic “rolling sculptures” will be on show in all five continents. They will be calling at Johannesburg, Vienna, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Dubai, Zürich, Taiwan, Bratislava, Stockholm, Lake Como, Munich, Båstad, the Hague and Istanbul.
Alexander Calder was inspired by the French auctioneer and racing driver, Hervé Poulain,
to produce the first ever BMW Art Car in 1975.
Ilka Horstmeier, Board Member for Human Resources and Real Estate at BMW Group, explains the significance of the anniversary tour. “The BMW Art Car Collection celebrates 50 years of artistic freedom and visionary design. The 20 vehicles have become international icons, telling stories of society, technology and performance. We are continuously developing the collection and bringing art and automotive culture together in a unique way.”
The BMW Art Car Collection began on 14th June 1975, when a BMW 3.0 CSL, brilliantly conceived by the American sculptor Calder, pulled up at the grid at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
On the start line, Calder reminded his racing driver Hervé Poulain that he was piloting a work of art: “Hervé, win! But drive carefully!”
Left: Cao Fei reinterpreted the BMW M6 GT3 in 2016 to express the changes in Chinese society, establishing parallelisms with the speed of racing cars. Right: In 1999, Conceptual artist Jenny Holzer expressed her criticism of western society by covering the BMW V12 LMR racing car with provocative messages such as “Protect me from what I want” and “The unattainable is invariably attractive.”
Since then, 19 other globally renowned artists have enthusiastically embraced the concept. Rauschenberg, for instance, who crafted BMW Art Car #6 in 1986, declared: “This car is the fulfilment of my dream. I would like to do ten more!”
Meanwhile, Cao Fei, who designed BMW Art Car #18, in 2016, underscored the emotional side of the work: “The car should not only race in a physical way, but also in the heart.”
And when Jenny Holzer was invited to create BMW Art Car #15, in 1999, she joked: “I thought it would be nice if women could participate other than standing around in bikinis!”
The good news is, the BMW Art Car Collection World Tour schedule is still developing and will continue throughout 2026.
So wherever you are in the world, strap in for a truly memorable artistic ride.
More information and details about locations, HERE.
Author: James Rampton
Show Comments +