Art on wheels: BMW Art Cars to travel around the world

It isn’t necessary that only a canvas can be an oyster. Who better than the luxury carmaker can prove this point?  In 1975, BMW thought of using its cars as a canvas to showcase art. Forty years down the line, the Bavarian carmaker is celebrating its Art Cars collection anniversary by displaying the unique cars painted by renowned artists at various locations across the world.

The idea behind the BMW Art Cars was the brainchild of French racecar driver and art enthusiast Herve Poulain. In 1975, Poulain commissioned American artist and friend Alexander Calder to paint the first BMW Art Car. This first example was a BMW 3.0 CSL which Poulain himself raced in the 1975 Le Mans endurance race.

Since then, new additions to the Art Car Collection have been made over the years, with unique work of art by many other renowned artists including David Hockney, Jenny Holzer, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, Frank Stella, and Andy Warhol.

Commenting on the occasion, Maximilian Schoberl, Senior Vice-President, Corporate and Governmental Affairs, BMW Group, said, “The BMW Art Cars provide an exciting landmark at the interface where cars, technology, design, art and motor sport meet. The 40-year history of our ‘rolling sculptures’ is as unique as the artists who created them. The BMW Art Cars are an essential element and core characteristic of our global cultural engagement.”

The anniversary celebrations got under way with exhibitions in Hong Kong, at the Centre Pompidou, the BMW Museum and the Concorso d’Eleganza at Lake Como, where the first four BMW Art Cars by Alexander Calder, Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol, plus the M3 GT2 created by Jeff Koons, were all on display. Further presentations are set to follow later in 2015 in New York, Miami and Shanghai.