Cape Town/Munich. As part of Julie Mehretu’s ongoing BMW Art Car project, the African Film and Media Arts Collective (AFMAC) was launched in April 2025 by the internationally renowned painter in collaboration with Emmy-nominated film producer Mehret Mandefro and the BMW Group. The initiative brings together artists and filmmakers from across Africa and the diaspora to explore new forms of creation and cultural dialogue in workshops led by internationally renowned artists.

From January 27–31, 2026, AFMAC will host its final workshop in Cape Town, following successful sessions in Lagos, Tangier, Nairobi, and Dakar. For this closing edition, London-based The Otolith Group—founded in 2002 by Anjalika Sagar and Kodwo Eshun—will lead the workshop. Known for their interdisciplinary approach spanning film, installation, and performance, their work investigates histories of science fiction and global cultural legacies. Through research-driven art, they aim to spark public dialogue and connect theory, practice, and exhibition. Titled African Cosmotechnics: Animation, Animism, Abstraction, Automotion, Automation, Aesthetics their workshop program brings artists, writers, theorists, animators, theatre-makers, and filmmakers together to approach animation not only as technique or as genre, but as a way of rethinking the relations between images, sounds, and voices. It is not intended as a technical workshop for producing animation but for rethinking what animation could, might, or should be.

AFMAC and its local partner in Cape Town, Chimurenga, offer a public screening of Infinity Minus Infinity with an ensuing art talk with The Otolith Group on January 31, 2026, at 7.30pm. The 2019 video work is an audiovisual performance combining dance, music, spoken word, and animation to reflect on how historical racism and colonialism continue to shape today’s social and environmental crises.

Chimurenga is a platform for African ideas and cultural production, founded by Ntone Edjabe in Cape Town in 2002. The aim of Chimurenga’s activities is not just to produce new knowledge, but to express the intensities of our world, to capture those forces, and to take action. Chimurenga publishes “Chimurenga Magazine”, the quarterly broadsheet “The Chronic”, and curates the Chimurenga Library—an evolving archive reimagining African knowledge systems.

Cape Town also hosts the project’s culmination: the exhibition “Scaling Intentions” at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, from December 11, 2026 to August 15, 2027. Each AFMAC lead artist will present a film inspired by the respective workshop, shown alongside Julie Mehretu’s BMW Art Car #20, a BMW M Hybrid V8 first unveiled at the Centre Pompidou in 2024. The films are intended as an anthology of contemporary African film and media art making.

AFMAC’s mission is to foster sustainable artistic networks and strengthen creative communities across Africa. Through the workshops, participants explore cultural heritage, identity, and experimentation using archival African film and media materials. They are given the opportunity to develop their own creative approaches for new forms of media art for the future.

“The magic of bringing people together starts with us. AFMAC creates forums for conversations in small, critical masses and surfaces resources to take the next steps. We build on the work of our local cultural partners: They already created a grounded cultural infrastructure, showing that art is not just a nice-to-have but a must-have. The talent and cultural energy emerging from these cities is electric – culture cannot be gated, it will always find a way to be heard,“ says Mehret Mandefro, co-founder of AFMAC.

“At BMW Group South Africa, we see our role as more than mobility, it’s about creating space for connection, conversation and shared progress,” says Thilosh Moodally, Director of Government Affairs and Communications at BMW Group South Africa. “Through initiatives such as AFMAC, we’re proud to support creative communities that amplify African voices, encourage creative freedom and open up meaningful cultural exchange. It’s part of how we show up beyond our products, with people and art at the centre of this project, we ensure that we build more than just cars, we build communities”.

Get deeper insights into AFMAC on the website www.afmac.institute, via Instagram at @a.f.m.a.c. or tune into Julie Mehretu’s interview on CNN African Voices.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper

insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

African Film and Media Arts Collective – Past and future stations

April 2025: Lagos, Nigeria, in partnership with Angels & Muse

Lead artist: Coco Fusco

July 2025: Tangier, Morocco, in partnership with Cinematheque de Tanger

Lead artist: Zeresenay Berhane Mehari

October 2025: Nairobi, Kenya, in partnership with Docubox

Lead artists: Jim Chuchu and Wanuri Kahiu

December 2025: Dakar, Senegal, in partnership with Fanta Sy and Raw Material Company

Lead artist: Mati Diop

January 2026: Cape Town, South Africa, in partnership with Chimurenga 

Lead artist: The Otolith Group

11 December 2026 – 15 August 2027: Final exhibition at Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA), Cape Town, South Africa

Biographies of the founders and Cape Town lead artists

Julie Mehretu is a world-renowned American artist, born in Addis Ababa in 1970. Mehretu’s practice in painting, drawing and printmaking engages the viewer in a dynamic visual articulation of contemporary experience. Notable accolades include the MacArthur Award, the US Department of State Medal of Arts Award, and, in 2025, she was awarded the rank of Officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture. Her work has been exhibited widely at museums, biennials and galleries around the globe. Mehretu is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Design and the National Academy of Sciences in Ethiopia. She sits on the board of the Whitney Museum of American Art, is a trustee and alumna of the American Academy in Berlin, a Global Council Member at Zeitz MOCAA, and is co-founder and board member of Denniston Hill. Mehretu lives and works in New York City.

Mehret Mandefro is an Emmy-nominated producer, writer, and serial entrepreneur born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Her body of work explores hidden truths and spans documentary and fiction, film and television, art and science. She co-founded the multi-media production company Truth Aid Media and founded the research enterprise Truth Aid Impact, A51 Pictures in Ethiopia, as well as the Realness Institute in South Africa. She was formerly the Executive Producer of Kana Television in Ethiopia and is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science.

The Otolith Group was founded in London in 2002 by curators and artists Anjalika Sagar, born 1968, and Kodwo Eshun, born 1967 both in London. The artist-led collective follows a research-based work that spans across moving images, audio, performance, and installations and engages with post-human discourses, building intergenerational and cross-cultural platforms.

Biographies of further lead artists

Jim Chuchu is a singer, songwriter, music producer, director, photographer, and visual artist. He helped establish the Nest Collective, a multidisciplinary art space and artists’ collective in Nairobi. His first short film “Homecoming” was featured at various film festivals from Durban to Locarno. Chuchu’s photography series “Pagans” was highlighted at Dak’Art 2014, the 11th edition of Africa’s longest running biennial of contemporary art.

Robin Coste Lewis, born in 1964 in Compton, California, is the author of “Voyage of the Sable Venus” (2015), which won the National Book Award for Poetry. The former poet laureate of Los Angeles, Lewis holds a PhD in Poetry and Visual Studies from the University of Southern California, an MFA in poetry from New York University, an MTS in Sanskrit and comparative religious literature from the Divinity School at Harvard University, and a BA from Hampshire College in post-colonial literature and creative writing. Her work has appeared in various journals and anthologies, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Paris Review, Transition, and The Massachusetts Review. Lewis has taught at Hampshire College, Hunter College, Wheaton College, and the NYU Low-Residency MFA in Paris. She is currently writer in residence at the University of Southern California.

Mati Diop is a French-Senegalese filmmaker born in Paris in 1982. With her first feature film, “Atlantics“ (2019), which won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival followed by “Dahomey“ (2024) awarded the Golden Bear at the Berlinale, (both shortlisted at the Oscars), she has established herself as one of the leading figures of international auteur cinema and a new wave in African and diasporic cinema.

Coco Fusco born in 1960 in New York City is a video and performance artist. With her multidisciplinary practice, Fusco explores the ways that intercultural dynamics affect the construction of the self and ideas about cultural otherness. Her work is in the collections of major museums worldwide and she received numerous awards.

Wanuri Kahiu is an award-winning filmmaker, speaker, and science fiction writer. Her film, “Rafiki,“ was the first Kenyan film to screen at Cannes, earning global recognition. Named one of TIME’s 100 Next in 2019, she is a cultural leader for the World Economic Forum and an advocate for freedom of expression. Through AFROBUBBLEGUM, Kahiu champions fun, fierce and frivolous African art. She directed “Washington Black” for Hulu/20th Century Fox, Netflix’s “Look Both Ways,” and is set to direct Disney’s “Once on This Island”.

Zeresenay Berhane Mehari, born in 1974, is an Ethiopian filmmaker and co-founder of A51 Pictures. He is notable as the director of the critically acclaimed films “Difret” (winner of Sundance and Berlinale Panorama Audience Awards) and “Sweetness in the Belly”. Apart from cinema, he co-founded and served as the Head of Original Content for Kana Television, the largest free-to-air, private satellite entertainment TV channel in Ethiopia.

Johannesburg. Following the successful BMW Art Generation Vol. III experience at NIROX on 30 August, BMW Group South Africa is proud to serve as the Official Vehicle Partner of FNB Art Joburg, taking place from 4–7 September 2025. This partnership underscores BMW’s enduring commitment to the global arts landscape, building on five decades of the iconic BMW Art Car series and cultural initiatives.

Celebrating 50 Years of BMW Art Cars

Since its inception in 1975, the BMW Art Car Collection has featured works from some of the world’s most acclaimed artists, including Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Esther Mahlangu, David Hockney, Jenny Holzer, and Ólafur Elíasson.

In 1991, Esther Mahlangu became the first African artist, and the first woman, to design a BMW Art Car, a historic moment that merged African heritage with contemporary automotive design. Her contribution remains a living tribute to her cultural legacy and BMW’s global vision for innovation through art.

This milestone also coincides with the 50th anniversary of the BMW 3 Series, further highlighting BMW’s tradition of design, craftsmanship, and cultural expression.

Immersive Experience at FNB Art Joburg

BMW’s booth at the Sandton Convention Centre will transform into an immersive storytelling hub, celebrating five decades of the BMW Art Cars. Johannesburg takes its place on the global stage as part of the ever-expanding BMW Art Car World Tour, a journey that will span continents and continue well into 2026. Marking the 50th anniversary of this iconic series, the tour brings together a constellation of exhibitions across five continents, enriched by a vibrant array of events.

At the centre of the installation in Johannesburg are large format works by acclaimed automotive photographer René Staud, who has redefined the way the world sees cars through light and motion. His work traces the journey of the BMW Art Car Collection from the very first Art Car created by Alexander Calder in 1975 (BMW 3.0 CSL) to the most recent, the 20th Art Car by Julie Mehretu (BMW M Hybrid V8). “A photograph of an Art Car is not about chrome or color — it’s about the pleasure to turn speed into poetry,” says René Staud.

Among the 10 featured BMW Art Cars are:

• Roy Lichtenstein / BMW 320 Group 5
• Andy Warhol / BMW M1 Group 4
• Ernst Fuchs / BMW 635 CSi
• Michael Jagamara Nelson / BMW M3 Group A
• César Manrique / BMW 730i

These striking images capture not only the vehicles themselves but also the visionary energy of the artists behind them, positioning BMW’s booth as a gallery of movement, design, and innovation.

Complementing this presentation, BMW will also showcase the BMW Art Guide, alongside Jonathan Ball’s ‘To Paint is in My Heart’ — a richly illustrated exploration of Esther Mahlangu’s life and artistic journey. Together, these works invite visitors to experience the full scope of BMW’s cultural legacy, from archival innovation to contemporary vision.

“BMW is celebrating 50 years of the iconic BMW Art Car Collection in 2025, underscoring our longstanding commitment to merging art, design, and innovation. As both a mobility leader and a cultural partner, we continue to support the arts in South Africa and globally. Through events such as BMW Art Generation and collaborations like BMW Young Collectors Co. and Zeitz MOCCA, we are shaping the future of African art patronage while honouring our legacy” states Taz Ramphisa, General Manager: Customer and Brand, BMW South Africa.

Premium Guest Experiences

As Official Vehicle Partner, BMW will provide chauffeur-driven services for guests, delivering the hallmark BMW experience of comfort, precision, and seamless mobility.

Join Us at FNB Art Joburg

BMW invites art lovers, collectors, and cultural innovators to experience this unique convergence of art, design, and mobility. Visit BMW’s stand at FNB Art Joburg from 4–7 September and stay tuned for exciting announcements in 2026.

Event Details

• VIP Opening: 4 September 2025
• Public Days: 5–7 September 2025
• Venue: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg

ENDS

If you have any questions, please contact:

Corporate Communications

Angela Konert

Head of Business Communications

Phone: +27 71 666 2472

Email: Angela.Konert@bmw.co.za

https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

BMW Group Cultural Engagement

Why Culture? Why not! Culture is knowledge, a sanctuary of beauty and depth, of meaning and peace. An inspiring escape. Tranquil at best, even unsettling sometimes. As corporate citizen, the BMW Group takes social responsibility seriously, as part of which it has been involved in hundreds of cultural initiatives worldwide for over half a century, both in the arts, music & sound, architecture as well as in design. As a long-term partner, creative freedom is key – and as essential for groundbreaking works as it is for major innovations within a business enterprise like ours.

iFurther information: www.bmwgroup.com/culture and www.bmwgroup.com/overview

Instagram: @BMWGroupCulture

#BMWGroupCulture

The BMW Group

 With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2024, the BMW Group sold over 2.45 million passenger vehicles and more than 210,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2024 was € 11.0 billion on revenues amounting to € 142.4 billion. As of 31 December 2024, the BMW Group had a workforce of 159,104 employees.

The economic success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. Sustainability is a key element of the BMW Group’s corporate strategy and covers all products from the supply chain and production to the end of their useful life.

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Midrand. On August 30, 2025, The BMW Art Generation Vol. III returns to NIROX Sculpture Park with a bold and immersive program focused on celebration, dialogue, and the poetics of possibility. Presented by FNB Art Joburg in partnership with BMW Group South Africa, this third edition deepens its commitment to critical thought and cultural engagement.

This year’s theme, “A Tropology Between Image and Imagination,” explores the narrative power of creative practice. Artists and cultural thinkers come together to investigate how symbolism, gesture, and form serve as tools to reclaim histories and shape speculative futures. Through this lens, the festival underscores imagination as methodology, illuminating African presence in all its complexity and nuance.

Talks Programme

A curated talks programme anchors the day’s intellectual offering:

• Talk I | Image and Imagination
  This panel features acclaimed artists such as Zanele Muholi, examining how image-making becomes a means of resistance, self-authorship, and future-building. The conversation unpacks the frameworks through which artists interpret identity, presence, and cultural mythologies.
• Talk II | Existing, Performance & Being
  Featuring luminaries like Nicholas Hlobo, this conversation responds to Koyo Kouoh’s call for loving and emancipatory depictions of Black experiences. Artists reflect on how performance and representation intersect with history, grief, and joy.

These talks serve as key moments for reflection, offering audiences deeper insight into the artistic processes and lived experiences that shape contemporary art on the continent and beyond.

Music Performances

In addition to the talks and exhibitions, headline musical performances by Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse and Msaki will bring rhythm and resonance to NIROX Sculpture Park. Their performances weave together heritage and contemporary sound, amplifying the festival’s celebration of African imagination and creativity.

Garden Affirmations

Audiences can also join Muneyi’s Garden Affirmations, an intimate reflective session in the park that blends music, poetry, and affirming dialogue within the natural surrounds of NIROX. This addition offers a grounding moment of connection and mindfulness during the day’s programme.

Community Workshop

The BMW Centre for Art Education will also host a workshop for the Kromdraai community, led by Liesl Hartman, Head of Education at Zeitz MOCAA. This initiative encourages hands-on creativity and fosters intergenerational exchange through artmaking.

Legacy & Vision

At its core, The BMW Art Generation is about legacy-building. Since 2020, BMW and FNB Art Joburg have cultivated a new wave of art patrons through the BMW Young Collectors Co., a community committed to collecting African art and investing in local cultural ecosystems.

Taz Ramphisa, General Manager: Customer and Brand for BMW Group South Africa, notes, “BMW is committed to creativity and innovation within the art world. Art Generation reflects our ongoing support for platforms that shape discourse, nurture talent, and enrich communities.”

Mandla Sibeko, Managing Director of FNB Art Joburg, adds, “Art is a language of meaning, memory, and transformation. Through Art Generation, we honour those who stretch the limits of imagination and visual storytelling.”

The event promises a day of deep engagement with art, imagination, and dialogue, continuing to shape the future of artistic expression on African soil.

Event and Ticket Info

Date: August 30, 2025

Venue: NIROX Sculpture Park

Tickets: R500 (includes access to talks, exhibitions, and all programming)

Book here: https://tickets.tixsa.co.za/event/bmw-art-generation       

Media inquiries: zaza@artjoburg.com

ENDS

Munich. "I wondered how I could make the Art Car a symbol and vocal archive for the immense artistic creativity of the African continent," says Julie Mehretu, describing her ambition for designing the 20th BMW Art Car of the iconic collection. The American abstract painter, born in Ethiopia in 1970, first presented her artistically designed BMW M Hybrid V8 to the public at the Centre Pompidou in Paris in May 2024. After its race deployment in Le Mans a month later, this year marks the next chapter of the project in cooperation with the BMW Group: the African Film and Media Arts Collective (AFMAC).

The idea for the pan-African artist network was developed by Julie Mehretu together with her longtime friend, Mehret Mandefro, an Emmy-nominated film producer—also born in Ethiopia and living in the USA—and co-founder of the Realness Institute for the training of African filmmakers. Under the guidance of a group of African and international artists, including French-Senegalese filmmaker and 2024 Berlinale winner Mati Diop, American poet Robin Coste Lewis, and Kenyan performance artist Jim Chuchu, workshops will be held in Lagos, Dakar, Tangier, Nairobi, and Cape Town for around 50 artists. AFMAC will connect with local host cultural institutions on site and workshop participants will be selected through open calls with the partners. The kickoff will take place from April 15–19 in Lagos with the cultural non-profit organization "Angels & Muse".

“BMW is working for the first time in the 50-year history of the BMW Art Car Collection with an artist to develop the idea far beyond the car as a pure art object. This collaboration is particularly close to my heart. It expands BMW’s long-term global commitment in the film sector with an outstanding initiative that stands for exchange, creativity, and cultural diversity—values that we, as a company, also embody,” says Ilka Horstmeier, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Human Resources, and Real Estate.

Each workshop results in a new film production. Once completed, the films will form an anthology of contemporary African filmmaking, which will complement exhibitions of Mehretu’s 20th BMW Art Car. In 2026, the anthology will debut in a major exhibition dedicated to AFMAC along with the 20th Art Car at Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town. The curator will be its Executive Director Koyo Kouoh, the designated curator of the 2026 Venice Biennale. The BMW Group has been a partner of the museum for many years, contributing its extensive network of cultural professionals and charitable institutions in Africa to establish AFMAC on a long-term and sustainable basis.

International collaboration and access to African film history
Social engagement and engaging with peers in collectives have always shaped Mehretu's work. In 2004, she founded the artist residency Denniston Hill in North New York with artist Paul Pfeiffer and architectural historian Lawrence Chua. Meant as a place for exchange, reflection, and retreat, artists of various disciplines and backgrounds further develop their practice there. Workshop methods conceived at Denniston Hill form the foundation for AFMAC’s workshops, where artists from various African countries and the global diaspora come together to engage with questions of cultural, political, and historical identity. The forms of experimentation that a translocal collective enables, how cultural and political heritage can be negotiated, and the role different media play in the attribution of identity forms are examined.

Using archival material of African film and media works, participants are given the opportunity to develop their own creative approaches and create new forms of media art. Accordingly, a key component of the workshops is the screening of hard-to-access African films to expand historical and cultural perspectives. The goal is to create sustainable infrastructures that last beyond the workshops and strengthen the artistic community in Africa. A central point of approach is the provision of an online film archive that African artists can continuously work with in the future.

Artist talks and public presentations of AFMAC will also take place outside of Africa in 2025 and 2026. An event calendar and further detailed information, including photo and film material, are available at www.afmac.institute, a digital platform documenting the project and archive for African cinema, created by New York-based creative agency Pacific.

African Film and Media Arts Collective – stations
April 15–19, 2025: Lagos, Nigeria, in partnership with Angels & Muse 
Lead artist: Coco Fusco

June 2–6, 2025: Dakar, Senegal, in partnership with Fanta Sy and Raw Material Company 
Lead artist: Mati Diop

July 2025: Tangier, Morocco, in partnership with Cinematheque de Tanger
Lead artist: Zeresenay Berhane Mehari

October 2025: Nairobi, Kenya, community partner to be determined 
Lead artists: Jim Chuchu and Wanuri Kahiu

December 2025: Cape Town, South Africa, in partnership with Realness Institute 
Lead artist: The Otolith Group

Biographies of the founders and lead artists
Julie Mehretu is a world-renowned American artist, born in Addis Ababa in 1970. Mehretu’s practice in painting, drawing and printmaking engage the viewer in a dynamic visual articulation of contemporary experience. Notable accolades include The MacArthur Award, The US Department of State Medal of Arts Award, and in 2025, was awarded the rank of Officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture. Her work has been exhibited widely at museums, biennials and galleries around the globe. Mehretu is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, The National Academy of Design and the National Academy of Sciences in Ethiopia. She sits on the board of the Whitney Museum of American Art, is a trustee and alumna of the American Academy in Berlin, a Global Council Member at Zeitz MOCAA, and is co-founder and board member of Denniston Hill. Mehretu lives and works in New York City.

Mehret Mandefro is an Emmy-nominated producer, writer, and serial entrepreneur born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Her body of work explores hidden truths and spans documentary and fiction, film and television, art and science. She co-founded the multi-media production company Truth Aid Media and founded the research enterprise Truth Aid Impact, A51 Pictures in Ethiopia as well as the Realness Institute in South Africa. She was formerly Executive Producer of Kana Television in Ethiopia and is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science.

Jim Chuchu is a singer, songwriter, music producer, director, photographer, and visual artist. He helped establish the Nest Collective, a multidisciplinary art space and artists’ collective in Nairobi. His first short film “Homecoming” was featured at various film festivals from Durban to Locarno. Chuchu’s photography series “Pagans” was highlighted at Dak’Art 2014, the 11th edition of Africa’s longest running biennial of contemporary art.

Robin Coste Lewis born in 1964 in Compton, California is the author of “Voyage of the Sable Venus” (2015), the winner of National Book Award for Poetry. The former poet laureate of Los Angeles, Lewis holds a PhD in Poetry and Visual Studies from the University of Southern California, an MFA in poetry from New York University, an MTS in Sanskrit and comparative religious literature from the Divinity School at Harvard University, and a BA from Hampshire College in post-colonial literature and creative writing. Her work has appeared in various journals and anthologies, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Paris Review, Transition, and The Massachusetts Review. Lewis has taught at Hampshire College, Hunter College, Wheaton College, and the NYU Low-Residency MFA in Paris. She is currently writer in residence at the University of Southern California.

Mati Diop, is a French-Senegalese filmmaker born in Paris in 1982. With her first feature film “Atlantics“ (2019), winner of the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival followed by “Dahomey“ (2024) awarded by The Golden Bear of Berlinale, (both short listed at the Oscars), she has established herself as one of the leading figures of international auteur cinema and a new wave in African and diasporic cinema.

Wanuri Kahiu is an award-winning filmmaker, speaker, and science fiction writer. Her film “Rafiki“ was the first Kenyan film to screen at Cannes, earning global recognition. Named one of TIME’s 100 Next in 2019, she is a cultural leader for the World Economic Forum and an advocate for freedom of expression. Through AFROBUBBLEGUM, Kahiu champions fun, fierce and frivolous African art. She directed “Washington Black” for Hulu/20th Century Fox, Netflix’s “Look Both Ways”, and is set to direct Disney’s “Once on This Island”.

Zeresenay Berhane Mehari, born 1974, is an Ethiopian filmmaker and co-founder of A51 Pictures. He is notable as the director of critically acclaimed films “Difret” (Sundance and Berlinale Panorama Audience Award) and “Sweetness in the Belly”. Apart from cinema, he was the co-founder and Head of Original Content for Kana Television, the largest free-to-air, private satellite entertainment TV channel in Ethiopia.

The Otolith Group was founded in London in 2002 by curators and artists Anjalika Sagar, born 1968, and Kodwo Eshun, born 1967 both in London. Their research-based work spans across moving image, audio, performance and installations and engages with post-human discourses building intergenerational and cross-cultural platforms.

Munich. Calder, Lichtenstein, Warhol, Holzer, Hockney, Koons, Rauschenberg, Mahlangu, Eliasson, Baldessari, Cao Fei, Mehretu. For the past 50 years, the BMW Art Car series has provided artists fascinated by automobiles with a perfect playground for art and design, technology and innovation, motorsport and engineering. The collection of 20 BMW Art Cars embodies the essence of global cultural engagement with over one hundred initiatives across contemporary art, music and film, as well as design. The "rolling sculptures" – from Alexander Calder’s first-ever Art Car to Julie Mehretu’s latest – offer a cross-section of art history over the past five decades: minimalism, pop art, magical realism, abstraction, conceptual art and digital art are all represented.

“I love that car. It has turned out better than the artwork.”
Andy Warhol, BMW Art Car #4, 1979

The artists are selected by international juries of museum directors. In close collaboration with the BMW Group’s engineering and design teams, they freely develop their concepts and inspire everyone involved. To mark the 50th anniversary, the BMW Art Car World Tour features an exhibition programme spanning all five continents and including numerous accompanying events.

“The car should not only race in a physical way but also in the heart.”
Cao Fei, BMW Art Car #18, 2016

An anniversary around the world.

"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. Our commitment to art and culture is long-term. We are continuously developing the collection and bringing art and automotive culture together in a unique way," says Ilka Horstmeier, Board Member for Human Resources and Real Estate at BMW Group.

The BMW Art Car World Tour kicks off in Europe and Asia. On 20-21 March, the BMW Art Cars created by Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, David Hockney and Jeff Koons will be on display at the Museum of Applied Arts and the SPARK Art Fair in Vienna for the BMW Group Niederlassung Wien event “(R)Evolution of Art”. The latest and 20th BMW Art Car – the BMW M Hybrid V8 by renowned American painter Julie Mehretu – will embark on an Asian tour and be displayed at Art Basel in Hong Kong on 28-30 March.

Mehretu is developing her Art Car project far beyond the vehicle as an object and will host workshops for young film and media artists across five African countries in 2025, together with film producer Mehret Mandefro and the BMW Group. The results of the African Film and Media Arts Collective (AFMAC) will be presented in 2026 alongside Mehretu's Art Car in an exhibition at the Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town, curated by its Executive Director, Koyo Kouoh, the designated curator of the Venice Biennale 2026.

“The whole BMW Art Car project is about invention, about imagination, about pushing limits of what can be possible.”
Julie Mehretu, BMW Art Car #20, 2024

Important museums and platforms for classic automobiles are also celebrating the milestone anniversary of the BMW Art Cars. The 13th Art Car by Sandro Chia will be showcased at the classic car festival Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este at Lake Como in May. In July and August, the Louwman Museum in The Hague will present eight BMW Art Cars in a special exhibition.

“I also thought it would be nice if women could participate other than standing around in bikinis.”
Jenny Holzer, BMW Art Car #15, 1999

The BMW Museum, the home of the BMW Art Cars when they are not travelling the world, is also honouring the collection by combining two anniversaries in a special exhibition. The BMW 3 Series is also celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, and starting 16 June, the museum will showcase a historical overview of all BMW 3 Series models as well as the BMW M3 Art Cars by Sandro Chia, Michael Jagamara Nelson, and Ken Done.                     

“I think mobile museums would be a good idea. This car is the fulfilment of my dream. I would like to do ten more.”
Robert Rauschenberg, BMW Art Car #6, 1986

New Art Car book, new Art Car model, new Art Car fashion collection.

In addition to the exhibition programme, BMW is releasing various new art and lifestyle products in celebration of the anniversary. The 1:18-scale miniature of the 20th Art Car by Julie Mehretu is available for purchase across BMW Lifestyle Shops, with a 1:43 version to follow later in the year. Together with publisher Hatje Cantz, BMW is presenting the third edition of the "BMW Art Cars" catalogue. Interviews with the founders of the collection and essays on each of the 20 Art Cars highlight the art historical relevance and diversity of the works. The cover design of the new edition is by Julie Mehretu. Following the popular Alexander Calder and Roy Lichtenstein fashion collections, the third collaboration with Puma based on the BMW Art Cars will be announced later this year.

“So you can say, the BMW Art Car is definitely a typical Baldessari and the fastest artwork I ever created!”
John Baldessari, BMW Art Car #19, 2016

Born from passion: a brief history of the BMW Art Car Collection.

On 14 June 1975, the BMW 3.0 CSL designed by American sculptor Alexander Calder took to the track at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The project was initially intended as a one-time collaboration between the artist and BMW. The audience cheered for the colourful racing car and children rejoiced. BMW decided this had to continue! It all began with the passion for art and motorsport of French auctioneer and racing driver Hervé Poulain. In 1975, Poulain found a visionary ally in Jochen Neerpasch, founder and Head of BMW Motorsport, for his plan to enter a BMW designed by an artist in the legendary Le Mans endurance race. Even though the first BMW Art Car retired from the race after seven hours, it became a true crowd favourite, laying the foundations for the collection.

“Hervé, win! But drive carefully!”
Alexander Calder, BMW Art Car #1, 1975

In close collaboration with legendary New York gallerist Leo Castelli, BMW Art Cars by American artists such as Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol followed – and all were raced by Hervé Poulain and the BMW team at Le Mans. From 1982 to 1992, the BMW Art Car Collection opened up to the world, with artists transforming various standard production models: Ernst Fuchs, Robert Rauschenberg, Michael Jagamara Nelson, Ken Done, Matazo Kayama, César Manrique, A. R. Penck, Esther Mahlangu, Sandro Chia and David Hockney. In 1999, BMW returned to motorsport with the BMW V12 LMR prototype and American conceptual artist Jenny Holzer. Eight years later, Olafur Eliasson designed "Your mobile expectations: BMW H₂R Project" based on a record-breaking hydrogen race car. Jeff Koons, John Baldessari, Cao Fei, and Julie Mehretu have added dynamic race cars over the past 15 years. Since its invention nearly 140 years ago, artists worldwide have engaged with the automobile both critically and enthusiastically. And over the last 50 years, the BMW Art Car series has contributed significantly to this inspiring dialogue.

“These race cars are like life, they are bursting with power and have enormous energy. My ideas are meant to merge with this power – it's all about fully embracing it.”
Jeff Koons, BMW Art Car #17, 2010

BMW Art Car World Tour 2025 (selection)

until 16 April 2025: Wits Art Museum, Johannesburg, South Africa
BMW Art Car #12 Esther Mahlangu

20-21 March 2025: SPARK Art Fair and MAK Museum Vienna, Austria
Event “(R)Evolution of Art” of the BMW Niederlassung Wien
BMW Art Cars #3 Roy Lichtenstein, #4 Andy Warhol, #6 Robert Rauschenberg, #14 David Hockney, #17 Jeff Koons

28-30 March 2025: Art Basel in Hong Kong
BMW Art Car #20 Julie Mehretu

23 April-2 May 2025: Shanghai Auto Show, China
BMW Art Car #20 Julie Mehretu

18-20 April 2025: Art Dubai, United Arab Emirates
BMW Art Car # TBA

May 2025: 50 Years of BMW Switzerland, Zurich, Switzerland
BMW Art Cars #5 Ernst Fuchs, #8 Ken Done, #11 A. R. Penck, #14 David Hockney, #15 Jenny Holzer, #19 John Baldessari

9-11 May 2025: Taipei Dangdai, Taiwan
BMW Art Car # TBA

27 May–1 June 2025: Bratislava, Slovakia
BMW Art Cars #2 Frank Stella, #7 Michael Jagamara Nelson, #9 Matazo Kayama

15-18 May 2025: Market Art Fair, Stockholm, Sweden
BMW Art Cars #1 Alexander Calder, #3 Roy Lichtenstein, #4 Andy Warhol, #17 Jeff Koons

23-25 May 2025: Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, Lake Como, Italy
BMW Art Car #13 Sandro Chia

16 June 2025-1 January 2026: BMW Museum, Munich
BMW Art Cars #7 Michael Jagamara Nelson, #8 Ken Done, #13 Sandro Chia

16 June 2025-31 August 2025: BMW Welt, Munich
BMW Art Cars #15 Jenny Holzer, #20 Julie Mehretu

27-29 June 2025: The Aurora, Båstad, Sweden
BMW Art Cars #1 Alexander Calder, #3 Roy Lichtenstein, #4 Andy Warhol, #17 Jeff Koons

3 July-31August, 2025: Louwman Museum, The Hague, Netherlands
BMW Art Cars #1 Alexander Calder, #2 Frank Stella, #3 Roy Lichtenstein, #4 Andy Warhol, #10 César Manrique, #12 Esther Mahlangu, #14 David Hockney, #17 Jeff Koons

24-28 September 2025: Contemporary Istanbul, Turkey
BMW Art Cars #1 Alexander Calder, #20 Julie Mehretu

The Art Car World Tour schedule is still evolving and will continue through most of 2026. Further stops and venues are planned, including Australia, Belgium (Brussels, Zoute), China (Macau), Germany (Berlin, Munich, Düsseldorf), Kazakhstan, Latin America, Morocco (Marrakech), South Africa, Spain, Switzerland (Basel) and USA.

BMW Art Cars

1. Alexander Calder / BMW 3.0 CSL / 1975
2. Frank Stella / BMW 3.0 CSL / 1976
3. Roy Lichtenstein / BMW 320 Group 5 / 1977
4. Andy Warhol / BMW M1 Group 4 / 1979
5. Ernst Fuchs / BMW 635 CSi / 1982
6. Robert Rauschenberg / BMW 635 CSi / 1986
7. Michael Jagamara Nelson / BMW M3 Group A / 1989
8. Ken Done / BMW M3 Group A / 1989
9. Matazo Kayama / BMW 535i / 1990
10. César Manrique / BMW 730i / 1990
11. A.R. Penck / BMW Z1 / 1991
12. Esther Mahlangu / BMW 525i / 1991
13. Sandro Chia / BMW M3 GTR / 1992
14. David Hockney / BMW 850 CSi / 1995
15. Jenny Holzer / BMW V12 LMR / 1999
16. Olafur Eliasson / BMW H₂R / 2007
17. Jeff Koons / BMW M3 GT2 / 2010
18. Cao Fei / BMW M6 GT3 / 2016
19. John Baldessari / BMW M6 GTLM / 2016
20. Julie Mehretu / BMW M Hybrid V8 / 2024

For media inquiries, please contact:

Ilya Baryshev
BMW Group Corporate and Governmental Affairs
BMW Art Car World Tour
Phone: +49 151 601 544 36
Email: Ilya.Baryshev@bmwgroup.com  

Midrand. Dr Esther Mahlangu’s acclaimed retrospective exhibition, ‘Then I Knew I Was Good at Painting: Esther Mahlangu, A Retrospective,’ is set to captivate Johannesburg audiences at the Wits Art Museum (WAM). Following its successful run at the Iziko South African National Gallery in Cape Town, this landmark exhibition, supported by BMW Group South Africa, WAM, and the National Arts Council, will open its doors to the public on 20 November 2024.

Curated by Nontobeko Ntombela, the retrospective offers a profound exploration of the life and artistic practice of Dr Mahlangu, a national treasure and global icon. It chronicles her remarkable journey, from her humble beginnings in a small village in Mpumalanga to her international recognition as one of the most influential artists of her time. In a comprehensive collection of archival materials spanning five decades, the exhibition celebrates Dr Mahlangu’s significant contributions to and lasting impact on contemporary art.

“Dr Mahlangu is a living symbol of triumph over adversity. As one of the first South African and female African artists to achieve global recognition, her warm personality and ability to inspire creativity have established her as a matriarch and mentor in contemporary art,” says exhibition curator Nontobeko Ntombela. “Her artistic approach continues to inspire younger generations and emphasises Africa’s rightful place at the centre of the art world.”

Craig Mark, Director of The Melrose Gallery, shared Ntombela’s sentiments, noting, “Few South African artists have had the chance to present a retrospective of this scale. We hope this exhibition can pave the way for a global tour, creating opportunities for other South African artists to access these long-restricted museum spaces.”

Dr Mahlangu’s BMW 525i Art Car, a milestone in the history of both art and automotive design, is a highlight of the retrospective exhibition. Created in 1991, this iconic vehicle marked a historic moment as her work became the first by a woman and an African artist to be included in the prestigious BMW Art Car Collection. Its return to Gauteng after over three decades allows local audiences a unique opportunity to experience this world-renowned masterpiece.

“Dr Mahlangu’s extraordinary legacy is a testament to her pioneering spirit. Our longstanding relationship with her, culminating in the return of the BMW 525i Art Car, is a celebration of her artistic brilliance and our joint effort to push the boundaries of creativity,” says Thilosh Moodally, Director of Government Affairs and Communications at BMW Group South Africa. “I am proud to say that we have a long and rich history of supporting the arts and culture and remain committed to using our platform to promote innovation.”  

The WAM retrospective invites audiences from Tshwane, Mpumalanga, and surrounding areas to immerse themselves in the iconic world of Dr Mahlangu. This special regional tribute honours her deep connections to both Gauteng and Mpumalanga. “Wits Art Museum is honoured to host this retrospective, showcasing the remarkable scope and vision in Dr Mahlangu’s work,” says Julia Charlton, WAM Senior Curator.

Bettina Korek, CEO, and Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of the Serpentine Galleries hailed Dr Mahlangu as “one of the most important artists of her time” at the unveiling of her large 9m x 5m mural as the opening event for the VIP Programme for Frieze London in October. The artwork is titled ‘Umuntu ngumuntu ngabuntu’ and translates from isiNdebele to ‘I am because you are’, emphasising human kindness, connection and community. This is her first public mural in the United Kingdom, painted over sixteen wooden panels.

'Then I Knew I Was Good at Painting: Esther Mahlangu, A Retrospective’ will be on exhibition at WAM from 20 November 2024 until 17 April 2025. The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is free.

If you have any questions, please contact:

The Melrose Gallery (through Alkemi Collective)

Sindi Phenya

Client Service Manager – Alkemi Collective

Phone: +27 83 789 2553

Email: sindi@alkemi.global

WAM

Angelique Bougaard

Education Curator – WAM

Angelique.Bougaard@wits.ac.za

BMW Group South Africa

Angela Konert

Head of Business Communications

Phone: +27 71 666 2472

Email: Angela.Konert@bmw.co.za

END

About Dr Esther Mahlangu

Dr Esther Nostokana Nagiyana Nikwambi Mahlangu is a celebrated South African contemporary artist known for her innovative work that pushes boundaries beyond the traditional mural. Widely recognised as one of the most influential artists across generations, Dr Mahlangu began her artistic journey at the age of ten under the guidance of her grandmother and mother, learning the traditional techniques of isiNdebele mural painting. Her contemporary works, which span a wide variety of non-traditional surfaces, found objects, and automobiles, build upon this rich tradition.

Dr Mahlangu’s participation in the exhibition Magiciens de la Terre (1989) in Paris shot her to fame, marking the launch of her transition from a communal practice into her own agency as a contemporary artist. Shortly thereafter, in 1991, she became the first woman artist and African to paint a BMW Art Car. Dr Mahlangu has exhibited in over 20 countries, sometimes with multiple solo shows in at least seventeen different cities.

She has painted murals across eight different countries and participated in residency programmes with institutions like Project Row Houses (2005), L’Associazione Culturale Colonos (2009), and Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (2014). Some of her more significant engagements include Documenta IX (1992), the 5th Biennale of Contemporary Art (2000), the 1st Malindi Biennale (2006), and the 3rd Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art (2009). Dr Mahlangu's collaborations with the BMW Group span decades, including the 1991 BMW 525i Art Car, the Electric AI Canvas at Art Basel 2023 (which featured AI-generated animations based on her designs projected onto a BMW i5), and the 2024 BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA, a one-of-a-kind vehicle combining colour-change technology developed by BMW. Dr Mahlangu has also worked on projects with fashion brands like Comme des Garçons (1991), and shoe companies Melissa (2009) and EYTYS (2015). In 2016, she created the Belvedere (RED) bottle design, which helped fund a campaign against HIV/AIDS. Dr Mahlangu's works are represented in over 27 public institutions’ collections, and her work is also held in private collections around the world. She continues her artistic career to this day. Dr Mahlangu is the recipient of numerous honorary doctorates for her contribution to art.

For more information, please visit Esther Mahlangu’s website, or connect with her on social media:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/esthermahlanguart

Instagram: www.instagram.com/esthermahlanguart

About Nontobeko Ntombela (the exhibition curator) 

Nontobeko Ntombela is a lecturer in the Department of Curatorial, Public, and Visual Cultures at the Wits School of Arts in Johannesburg. She holds a PhD in Art History from the University of Cape Town. Her research focuses on Modern and Contemporary South African art, with a particular interest in Black women artists. Ntombela began her career as a curator in 2002 and has worked at various institutions, including the BAT Centre, Durban University Art Gallery, and the Johannesburg Art Gallery, where she curated numerous exhibitions. After a decade of curatorial work, Ntombela took up an academic position at Wits, shifting her curatorial practice to centre more archival and research-driven historical projects. Some of her most recent notable curatorial projects include the ‘Then I Knew I Was Good at Painting: Esther Mahlangu, A Retrospective’ (2024) exhibition at Iziko South African National Galleries in Cape Town and Wits Art Museum in Johannesburg, ‘When Rain Clouds Gather: South African Black Women Artists 1940–2000’ (2022-2023) at the Norval Foundation in Cape Town, and ‘The Burden of Memory’ (2019) at multiple venues in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

About The Melrose Gallery 

The Melrose Gallery is a leading Pan African Contemporary gallery located in Johannesburg, South Africa. The gallery represents established and emerging artists whose voices speak to issues of significance to the continent of Africa on a global basis. They are passionate about ensuring that the elders who have made a valuable contribution to African Contemporary Art are recognised and continue to be heard. These inspiring stalwarts provide a stable foundation to an exciting young guard of artists who are swiftly emerging from the African Continent and Diaspora to establish themselves globally. The Melrose Gallery runs a curated programme of exhibitions, participates in respected art fairs, supports many artists in their participation at Biennales, and conceptualises and implements significant non-commercial exhibitions in association with leading museums.

For more information, please visit the Melrose Gallery website, or connect with them on social media:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/themelrosegallerysa

Facebook: www.facebook.com/themelrosegallery

Or send an email to: craig@themelrosegallery.com

About Wits Art Museum

Located in the heart of Braamfontein, Johannesburg, Wits Art Museum (WAM) is a university art museum that serves both academic and public audiences. With over 13,000 African artworks, WAM’s mission is to facilitate compelling encounters with African art for academics, students, and anyone who appreciates great art. The museum’s extensive collection includes historical and contemporary artworks, showcasing the rich diversity of Africa’s visual culture.

For more information, please visit WAM’s website, or connect with them on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WitsArtMuseum

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/witsartmuseum_wam/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtgEIZOT88sGGrA-_-Ug1jQ/featured

About the BMW Group

With its four brands – BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce, and BMW Motorrad – the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2023, the BMW Group sold over 2.55 million passenger vehicles and more than 209,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2023 was €17.1 billion on revenues amounting to €155.5 billion. As of 31 December 2023, the BMW Group had a workforce of 154,950 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products. 

For more information, please visit the BMW Group’s website, or connect with them on social media:

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/bmw-group/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bmwgroup

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroup

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmwgroup

X: https://www.x.com/bmwgroup

About BMW Group Cultural Engagement

Why culture? Why not! Culture is knowledge, a sanctuary of beauty and depth, of meaning and peace. An inspiring escape. Tranquil at best, even unsettling sometimes. As a corporate citizen, the BMW Group takes social responsibility seriously, a part of which it has been involved in hundreds of cultural initiatives worldwide for over half a century, in the fields of contemporary art, music, and film as well as in design. As a long-term partner, creative freedom is key – and as essential for groundbreaking works as it is for major innovations within a business enterprise like ours.

Further information: www.bmwgroup.com/culture and www.bmwgroup.com/overview

Instagram: @BMWGroupCulture

#BMWGroupCulture 

Midrand. On 3 October, BMW Group South Africa unveiled and handed over a house to Esther Mahlangu in honour of her artistic legacy. Held at the KwaNdebele homestead in Mpumalanga, the ceremony was attended by family, local dignitaries, and media. It highlighted the unique, long-standing relationship between the BMW Group and the globally acclaimed visual artist.

The vibrant modern Ndebele hut is a securer house for Mahlangu. It comprises two bedrooms and a full bathroom, kitchen and lounge areas, and two studio spaces that provide her a comfortable work area. BMW Group South Africa celebrated this significant event to honour Mahlangu’s incredible talent and demonstrate a shared history of ground-breaking collaboration and appreciation for her art that transcends borders.

In over 30 years of blending traditional Ndebele art with contemporary automotive design, the BMW Group has been a proud partner of Mahlangu. Through its global cultural engagement, the BMW Group has established over 100 long-term initiatives in the fields of modern and contemporary art, classical music, jazz, sound, architecture, and design.

Peter van Binsbergen, CEO of BMW Group South Africa commented, “Ma Esther’s storied journey of tradition and innovation with the BMW Group has led us to this momentous occasion. The opening of the Esther Mahlangu House is a tribute to her innovative and disruptive spirit, iconic global resonance and status, and dedication to advancing the BMW Group brand. On behalf of BMW Group South Africa, I thank her for 33 years of redefining the automotive industry through culture.”

A long-standing relationship. 

As a much-loved cultural ambassador of the Ndebele nation, Mahlangu has made a valuable contribution to contemporary art for over seven decades. Her journey with the BMW Group began in 1991, when she became the first African and female artist commissioned by the organisation to create an Art Car. Transforming a BMW 525i sedan into a unique canvas by using traditional Ndebele-inspired designs, Mahlangu marked a pivotal moment in the art world.

Throughout her illustrious artistic career, Mahlangu has demonstrated remarkable versatility in her collaborations with the BMW Group, introducing her unique vision to a diverse range of projects. Her pioneering spirit and exceptional contributions to the art world have strengthened BMW Group South Africa’s cultural philosophy. 

BMW Group South Africa expressed its deep admiration and appreciation for Mahlangu’s social upliftment, particularly in her preservation of traditional Ndebele techniques and patterns as she mentors young artists. The techniques she teaches use fingers and hands or chicken feathers – the latter of which she employed in her design for her iconic BMW 525i Art Car. In a further show of great passion, she has trained people from her home village in Mabhoko in the KwaMhlanga district of Mpumalanga.

Mahlangu’s artistic process involves the use of natural and sustainable materials – a practice in alignment with the BMW Group’s core philosophy of sustainability. Her deep roots in Mthambothini, a Nkangala district in Mpumalanga, reflect her commitment to her community and reinforce her status as a living legend safeguarding the visual language and history of the Ndebele people.

Etched in art and automotive history.

Mahlangu’s international success serves as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through talent, commitment, and determination. She has received multiple commendations, including three honorary doctorates. Mahlangu’s artworks grace many of the world’s most esteemed museums as well as corporate and private collections.

Through this special partnership, BMW Group South Africa reaffirms its commitment to building a better future for children, communities, and the country. The Esther Mahlangu House stands as a symbol of this commitment, representing a shared appreciation for the transcendent impact of arts and culture.

ENDS

If you have any questions, please contact:

Corporate Communications

Angela Konert

Head of Business Communications

Phone: +27 71 666 2472

Email: Angela.Konert@bmw.co.za

https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2023, the BMW Group sold over 2.55 million passenger vehicles and more than 209,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2023 was € 17.1 billion on revenues amounting to € 155.5 billion. As of 31 December 2023, the BMW Group had a workforce of 154,950 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products. 

www.bmwgroup.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BMWGroup

Twitter: http://twitter.com/BMWGroup

YouTube: http://youtube.com/BMWGroup

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroup  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bmw-group/

Cape Town. Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) and BMW Group South Africa are proud to launch the renaming of the Zeitz MOCAA Centre for Art Education to BMW Centre for Art Education at a media event on Wednesday, 11 September 2024. This follows a three-year partnership agreement between Zeitz MOCAA and its longstanding mobility partner in support of the museum’s curatorial and education programming.

Zeitz MOCAA is a groundbreaking Pan African and Pan Diasporic institution dedicated to promoting and preserving contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. The museum’s vision is to produce and present cutting-edge contemporary exhibitions and art historical knowledge, enhance the careers of Africa’s most talented artists in the 21st century and beyond, strengthen its education programmes, and ensure access for all.

“A strategic priority that has remained central to the work of Zeitz MOCAA includes advancing accessibility through art education, facilitating art participation for youth and adults, teacher training, and advocacy with not-for-profit organisations and art education bodies,” says Koyo Kouoh, Zeitz MOCAA Executive Director & Chief Curator. “The work of the BMW Centre for Art Education speaks directly into one of the founding elements of the institution’s mission and vision, namely, to operate school and education programmes that enrich, inspire, and bring art and culture to both children and adults,” she adds.

Zeitz MOCAA’s BMW Centre for Art Education (CFAE) comprises a dedicated team of education specialists led by the dynamic Liesl Hartman who has been involved in formal and community-based visual art and design education for 30 years in her capacity as a teacher, facilitator, manager and writer. Hartman has taught children and adults of all ages in a variety of contexts and is best known in local art educational communities within Cape Town.

“Our aim is to become a thriving museum with thriving communities. This generous funding from BMW Group South Africa will support the vision of the CFAE by enabling us to continue making art accessible to a diverse audience of all ages through discussion, debate and active making, whether within the walls of the museum or beyond. The scope of our art education programming, which has grown exponentially since 2018, engages the museum’s permanent collection and exhibitions while collaborating with local and international organisations, institutions and schools that provide access to 21st-century African art practice,” says Liesl Hartman, Head of the BMW Centre for Art Education.

Since opening its doors to the public in 2017, Zeitz MOCAA has been keenly aligned with the initiatives of BMW Group South Africa including the BMW Young Collectors Co. established in 2019 as an initiative of FNB Art Joburg. To help fill an educational void in contemporary art collecting, the BMW Young Collectors Co. addresses the shortcomings of the country’s community of collectors. FNB Art Joburg noted that the traditional community of collectors would benefit from an injection of younger and more diverse members. Thus, the programme was started to empower South Africa’s future leaders and today’s preservers of culture. BMW Art Generation brings celebrated, established, and young artists, curators, and academics, from across the world together in conversation with collectors to imagine, celebrate and protect the future of contemporary African art.

“Arts and culture are essential to the BMW Group. The organisation has engaged in over 100 cultural collaborations around the world, with valuable partnerships created within the South African arts and culture landscape. South Africa’s heritage reflects a blend of unique local culture and diversity of influence that must be preserved – which is what these partnerships intend to do. Artistic and cultural activities present unique and inspiring ways to unlock the creative capabilities of a nation – allowing constant reinvention and innovation for an ever-changing social, economic and political environment,” says Peter van Binsbergen, Chief Executive Officer, BMW Group South Africa. “This partnership with Zeitz MOCAA and its Centre for Art Education foregrounds an ethos that fosters innovation, community and an Africa that will continue to set standards for the global contemporary art ecosystem, prioritising access through the transference of knowledge, from one generation to another,” he endorses.

The Zeitz MOCAA and BMW Group South Africa partnership will advance the institution’s vision and mission as an active agent that caters to and nurtures society through education programming surrounding contemporary art from Africa.

Zeitz MOCAA’s curatorial and education programming is generously supported by Gucci, Mellon Foundation, and BMW Group South Africa.

ENDS

If you have any questions, please contact:

BMW Group South Africa 

Angela Konert

Head of Business Communications

Phone: +27 71 666 2472

Email: Angela.Konert@bmw.co.za

https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

Zeitz MOCAA

Evaan Jason Ferreira

Email: evaanjason.ferreira@zeitzmocaa.museum

The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2023, the BMW Group sold over 2.55 million passenger vehicles and more than 209,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2023 was € 17.1 billion on revenues amounting to € 155.5 billion. As of 31 December 2023, the BMW Group had a workforce of 154,950 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products. 

www.bmwgroup.com

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/bmw-group/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bmwgroup

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroup

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmwgroup

X: https://www.x.com/bmwgroup

About Zeitz MOCAA

Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) is a public not-for-profit institution that collects, preserves, researches and exhibits contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora; conceives and hosts international exhibitions; develops supporting educational, discursive and enrichment programmes; encourages intercultural understanding; and strives towards access for all. The museum’s galleries feature rotating temporary exhibitions with dedicated spaces for the permanent collection. The institution also includes the BMW Centre for Art Education  (CFAE), and The Atelier, a museum residency programme for artists living and working in Cape Town. Zeitz MOCAA is situated at the Silo District, South Arm Road, V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa, and is open Monday through Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm (last entry at 5.30 pm. www.zeitzmocaa.museum

Paris/Munich. The 20th BMW Art Car is being presented to the public for the first time today at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Designed by renowned New York-based contemporary artist Julie Mehretu, the project transforms the BMW M Hybrid V8 race car into a performative work of art, continuing a longstanding tradition of BMW Art Cars and competitive racing. Just a few weeks after its World Premiere in the French capital, the newest edition in the storied BMW Art Car collection will compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“The whole BMW Art Car project is about invention, about imagination, about pushing limits of what can be possible. I don’t think of this car as something you would exhibit. I am thinking of it as something that will race in Le Mans. It’s a performative painting. My BMW Art Car was created in close collaboration with motorsport and engineering teams,” says Julie Mehretu. “The BMW Art Car is only completed once the race is over.”

The collaboration between BMW and Julie Mehretu also includes a joint commitment to a series of PanAfrican Translocal Media Workshops for filmmakers, which will tour various African cities in 2025 and 2026, and will culminate in a major exhibition at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town.

“The BMW Art Cars are an essential part of our global cultural commitment. For almost 50 years, we have been cooperating with artists who are just as fascinated by mobility and design as they are by technology and motorsports. Julie Mehretu's vision for a racing car is an extraordinarily strong contribution to our BMW Art Cars series,” said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. “Julie Mehretu has created more than an amazing Art Car. Her ideas provided the impetus for us to expand the cultural commitment of our Art Cars to promote the creativity of young artists in Africa.”

A Performative Painting is Created.
Space, movement and energy have always been central motifs in Julie Mehretu's work. For the design of the 20th BMW Art Car, she transformed a two-dimensional image into a three-dimensional representation for the first time, with which she succeeded in bringing dynamism into form. Julie Mehretu used the colour and form vocabulary of her monumental painting “Everywhen” (2021 - 2023) as a starting point for her design. The work is currently on view at the artist’s major retrospective at the Palazzo Grassi in Venice and will subsequently become part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, to which it has been gifted.

Its abstract visual form results from digitally altered photographs, which are superimposed in several layers of dot grids, neon-coloured veils and the black markings characteristic of Mehretu's work. “In the studio where I had the model of the BMW M Hybrid V8 I was just sitting in front of the painting and I thought: What would happen if this car seemed to go through that painting and becomes affected by it,” Julie Mehretu says. “The idea was to make a remix, a mash-up of the painting. I kept seeing that painting kind of dripping into the car. Even the kidneys of the car inhaled the painting.”

BMW Art Cars with Le Mans history come together at the Concorso d’Eleganza.
The fusion of image and vehicle was realised with the help of 3D mapping, with which the motif was transferred to the contours of the vehicle. The elaborate foiling allows for the fully designed BMW M Hybrid V8 to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. BMW Motorsport drivers Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Robin Frijns (NED) and René Rast (GER) will enter the 20th BMW Art Car with starting number 20 at the Circuit de la Sarthe on 15 June. Like them, Julie Mehretu is also eagerly awaiting the race: “I went to see the BMW M Hybrid V8 race in Daytona, and this experience was overwhelming. Designers, engineers, aerodynamicists and so many other creative minds are working on taking this vehicle to its extreme. When it goes out on the racetrack now, so many dreams will be fulfilled.”

Leading up to race day, Julie Mehretu's BMW Art Car will make an appearance at the Concorso d'Eleganza at Villa d'Este in Lake Como on its way to Le Mans. As part of the exhibition for historic vehicles organised by the BMW Group and the Grand Hotel Villa d'Este, Julie Mehretu herself will present the 20th edition of the BMW Art Car Collection. It will be featured on the grounds of the Villa Erba together with the BMW Art Cars by Alexander Calder (1975), Frank Stella (1976), Roy Lichtenstein (1977), Andy Warhol (1979), Jenny Holzer (1999) and Jeff Koons (2010), which also made their race debut at Le Mans. Julie Mehretu will discuss the creation of the 20th BMW Art Car in an artist talk with Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design, on Sunday, 26 May 2024.

Inspiration for Young Artists: PanAfrican Translocal Media Workshops.
The collaboration between BMW and Julie Mehretu was conceived from the beginning beyond the automobile. It will culminate after the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a project for emerging artists on the African continent: The PanAfrican Translocal Media Workshops. Together, the partners are focussing on the creative potential across the African continent, where the BMW Group has been making a contribution to social responsibility with educational projects for over 50 years.

Julie Mehretu and Mehret Mandefro, Emmy-nominated producer, writer and co-founder of the Realness Institute, which works to strengthen the media ecosystem in Africa, will organise workshops in various African cities and regions throughout 2025. The goal of the project is to provide a space for artists and filmmakers to collaborate and exchange ideas. These meetings will offer a forum for artists to develop new pathways towards a just civic future in their respective communities.

The PanAfrican Translocal Workshop series will visit the cities of Dakar (Senegal), Marrakech (Morocco), Kigali (Rwanda), Lagos (Nigeria) and Cape Town (South Africa). The results of the workshops will be presented together with the 20th BMW Art Car at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town in the first half of 2026.

The BMW Group is thus consistently continuing its decades-long support for film and creative talent: from the short film series ‘The Hire’ and the partnership with the Cannes International Film Festival to the acquisition of works by students from art academies in the neighbourhoods of the company’s plants worldwide.

The Artist.
Julie Mehretu is a world-renowned American painter. She was born in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, in 1970. Together with her family she moved to the U.S. at the age of seven. She lives and works in New York City and Berlin.

Mehretu’s practice in painting, drawing and printmaking engage the viewer in a dynamic visual articulation of contemporary experience, a depiction of social behavior and the psychogeography of space by exploring palimpsests of history, from geological time to a modern-day phenomenology of the social.

Mehretu received her Bachelor’s Degree from the Kalamazoo College in Michigan, spent a year abroad at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal, and completed her Master's degree of Fine Art with honors from The Rhode Island School of Design in 1997. Mehretu has received numerous awards, including the The MacArthur Award (2005), The Berlin Prize: Guna S. Mundheim Fellowship at The American Academy in Berlin (2007) and the U.S. Department of State Medal of Arts Award (2015). A mid-career survey of Mehretu's work recently toured at LACMA (Los Angeles), High Museum (Atlanta) The Whitney Museum of American Art (New York) and The Walker Museum of Art (Minneapolis) from 2019 to 2023. Her largest European solo exhibition to date entitled “Ensemble” opened March 17, 2024 at Palazzo Grassi in Venice.

Mehretu is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and The National Academy of Design. Her global representative is Marian Goodman Gallery. She also exhibits with White Cube, London, and Carlier Gebauer, Berlin.

Statement from the Jury for the 20th BMW Art Car.
Julie Mehretu was unanimously selected in 2018 by a jury of high-ranking representatives of the international art world to design the 20th BMW Art Car. The panel includes renowned curators and museum directors from various countries, including Koyo Kouoh, Executive Director and Chief Curator, Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town; Hans-Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of the Serpentine Galleries, London; and Cecilia Alemani, Donald R. Mullen, Jr. Director and Chief Curator, High Line Art, New York.

On the occasion of the World Premiere of the BMW Art Car designed by Julie Mehretu in Paris, the jury members published the following statement: "We are thrilled with Julie's BMW Art Car! Okwui Enwezor had already coined the phrase ‘Dynamism in Form’ during our jury session and nothing applies better to her BMW M Hybrid V8 race car. Julie’s first three-dimensional work combines her aesthetics and formal language with the idea of the glitch and the blur, turning speed into a visceral experience. This energetic space is as fierce and competitive in racing as it is ambitious as a creative playground of the imagination. It not only pays homage to the art cars of Jenny Holzer and Frank Stella, but also spins a visual web from Mad Max to graffiti and street art that is unique within the series of BMW Art Cars."

The BMW M Hybrid V8.
The canvas for the 20th BMW Art Car is the BMW M Hybrid V8. The new race car from BMW M GmbH features a hybrid electric drivetrain system with approximately 640 hp, powered by a 4.0-litre V8 engine supported by an electric motor (top speed: up to 345 km/h or 215 mph, depending on the race track layout).

During this year’s official FIA World Endurance Championship races, the BMW M Hybrid V8 will take on high-calibre competition in the Hypercars category. The car will also compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans – the first BMW M Motorsport prototype to do so since the BMW V12 LMR, which won the classic race in 1999.

The BMW Art Car Collection.
Renowned artists from all over the world have participated in the BMW Art Car program since 1975. The initiative came from the French racing driver and art lover Hervé Poulain, who, together with the then BMW Head of Motorsport Jochen Neerpasch, asked his artist friend Alexander Calder to paint a car. The result was a BMW 3.0 CSL, which competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1975 and became a crowd favourite.

This was the birth of the BMW Art Car Collection. In the years that followed, renowned artists such as Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Esther Mahlangu, David Hockney, Jenny Holzer, Ólafur Elíasson and Jeff Koons enriched the collection with further BMW Art Cars, each in their own individual style. Most recently, the Chinese multimedia artist Cao Fei and American conceptual artist John Baldessari each presented a BMW Art Car based on the BMW M6 GT3 and GTLM respectively in 2016 and 2017. The BMW Art Cars are not only shown at their home, the BMW Museum in Munich, but are also on tour around the world as part of international exhibitions.

Midrand. BMW Group South Africa presented long-term collaborator Dr. Esther Mahlangu with the distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural South African Creative Arts Awards (SACA). As a great honour bestowed upon the recipient, the award recognises Esther Mahlangu’s exceptional contributions and accomplishments over her 50-year career as a contemporary artist.

The new awards ceremony was held at Sandton Convention Centre on Saturday, 30 March. Minister Zizi Kodwa of the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture announced the introduction of the all-encompassing awards celebration last year to recognise individuals who show outstanding artistic and technical achievements in the arts and culture sector.

A story of art and innovation.

Alongside the rest of the country, BMW Group South Africa celebrated Esther Mahlangu’s remarkable journey and legacy. And, more sentimentally, the award handover exemplified the valued partnership between the global automotive giant and the globally acclaimed visual artist that spans over 30 years.

In 1991, BMW Group selected Esther Mahlangu as the 12^th Art Car artist, making her the first African and the first woman commissioned to create a BMW Art Car. The distinctive design on the now-iconic BMW 525i Art Car resulted in a standout moment in the art world, with Esther Mahlangu lending her talent to groundbreaking industrial applications of future automotive designs. Her traditional Ndebele elements, synonymous with her style, feature in subsequent work with the BMW brand.

In retrospect.

Esther Mahlangu’s portfolio reflects bold and contemporary work that is a canvas for her cultural identity. The Iziko Museums of South Africa and BMW Group South Africa proudly announced the commemorative exhibition, titled “Then I Knew I Was Good at Painting”: Esther Mahlangu. A Retrospective. Curated by Nontobeko Ntombela, the ongoing exhibition highlights Mahlangu's creative evolution across various media and objects. Central to the retrospective is the BMW 525i Art Car, which makes its return to South Africa after over three decades abroad, where it graced other exhibitions.

The retrospective is a comprehensive overview of Esther Mahlangu’s contribution to the art world and offers insight into the unique intersection of tradition, culture, and modernity. The artist’s impact also extends beyond her collaboration with BMW Group – a recognition that the awards ceremony drives home. The vibrant geometric artwork embodies the richness of South African culture and the unwavering spirit of its people.

BMW Group South Africa Director: Government Affairs and Communications Thilosh Moodally, commented, “We are honoured to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Mam’ Esther Mahlangu. We are especially grateful to be in her presence this evening. To witness a living icon – one who has contributed significantly to the innovation that we so greatly believe in – is truly precious. We thank the Minister for introducing this important awards recognition that inspires a nation and beyond. We also thank the country for continuously championing the pioneering work of Mam’ Esther.”

ENDS

If you have any questions, please contact:

Corporate Communications

Angela Konert

Head of Business Communications

Phone: +27 71 666 2472

Email: Angela.Konert@bmw.co.za

https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

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With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2023, the BMW Group sold over 2.55 million passenger vehicles and more than 209,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2023 was € 17.1 billion on revenues amounting to € 155.5 billion. As of 31 December 2023, the BMW Group had a workforce of 154,950 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products. 

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Munich. “I love this car. It’s more successful than the artwork,” was the opinion of Andy Warhol after his sweeping brush strokes had transformed the BMW M1. It took him less than half an hour to create the fourth exhibit in the BMW Art Car Collection. 40 years later, enthusiasm for the mid-engined sports car remains unabated. Already world-famous at that time, the US icon of Pop Art shared the same passion with many automobile fans of that bygone era. And the fascination of the unique special created by Warhol has indeed increased. Many fans regard his Art Car as the highlight of the entire collection. It’s therefore hardly surprising that Munich-based automobile photographer Stephan Bauer spontaneously opted for the BMW M1 finished in the Warhol design when he was selecting his dream subject on four wheels. Last year, Bauer (29) emerged as the victor in the Social Media Contest “Shootout 2018” organised by BMW Group Classic and he was given the opportunity for an exclusive photo shoot with BMW Art Car Number Four. A series of photos was created to mark the 40th birthday of the BMW M1 designed by Andy Warhol. They provide a completely new perspective on one of the most legendary vehicles from the history of BMW.

Five photographic artists entered their best shots from the world of BMW classic cars in the “Shootout 2018” competition held on the Instagram social media platform. BMW Group Classic joined forces with BMW Culture, BMW Motorsport, BMW M GmbH and BMW subsidiary companies in several international markets for the joint project. It focused the attention of young target groups on the numerous motor-sport successes and record chases with vehicles and engines from BMW over the past 100 years. The prize for the winner was an enthralling photo shoot with a vehicle of their choice from the comprehensive collection of BMW Group Classic. The choice of the winner fell on the BMW M1 in the powerful 470 hp racing version produced in conformity with Group 4 regulations. 40 years ago, this automobile both celebrated its sporting debut in the Procar Series and entered the annals of Pop Art history.

Against the backdrop of an old factory building in Cologne, Stephan Butler choreographed a spectacular contrast between the brightly coloured Art Car and the dour grey of the abandoned industrial structure. At a subsequent outdoor session, laser search lights shrouded the BMW M1 in a positively mystical atmosphere. In both settings, the Art Car kept emerging from a completely new perspective – and always to perfection. The results of the photo shoot are posted on the Facebook page of BMW Group Classic and on the Instagram Account of BMW Group Classic.

Andy Warhol’s Art Car proved to be a dream subject for the recent photo shoot in Cologne. The artist himself made things much more difficult for the photographers. 40 years ago, the cameras had hardly been set up when Warhol had already finished painting the bodywork in all the colours of the rainbow. As the artist explained later, his speed was a reflection of the statement made by his work of art: “I attempted to show speed as a visual image. When an automobile is really travelling fast, all the lines and colours are transformed into a blur.”

Very soon after the last brush stroke had been applied, the BMW M1 styled by Warhol demonstrated just how fast an artwork can be. In June 1979, the BMW M1 emblazoned with start number 76 competed in the 24 Hour Race of Le Mans. German driver Manfred Winkelhock, and Frenchmen Hervé Poulain and Marcel Mignot drove the Art Car to second place in its class and achieved a ranking of six in the overall standings.

The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises 31 production and assembly facilities in 15 countries; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2018, the BMW Group sold over 2,490,000 passenger vehicles and more than 165,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2018 was € 9.815 billion on revenues amounting to € 97.480 billion. As of 31 December 2018, the BMW Group had a workforce of 134,682 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.