Munich/Basel. For over two decades, BMW has been a global partner of Art Basel, supporting the shows in Basel, Miami Beach, Hong Kong, Paris and Qatar. On the occasion of this year’s Art Basel in Basel, BMW and A.A.Murakami have partnered up to present the art installation SYMBIOSIS. Exploring the concept of symbiosis, the work unfolds as a dynamic interplay between engineered structures and ephemeral phenomena. The installation will be exhibited from 15-21 June 2026 at Art Basel in Basel, the world's premier art show for Modern and contemporary art. BMW is once again providing the VIP shuttle service this year.

A.A.Murakami, the artist duo of Azusa Murakami (JP) and Alexander Groves (UK), present an immersive installation for this year’s Art Basel in Basel. The Tokyo and London-based artist duo are known for their innovative, multisensory installations. The collaboration is inspired by a shared vision of creating a constantly shifting environment where the artificial and the natural become inseparable. This year’s collaboration continues BMW’s tradition of partnering with internationally renowned artists for Art Basel, such as Alvaro Barrington in 2025 and Es Devlin in 2024.

With its Neue Klasse, BMW introduces a new era of driving assistance based on a close, intuitive partnership between human and machine. BMW Symbiotic Drive brings driver and vehicle together as a coordinated system, where human intention and intelligent assistance seamlessly interact. The driver’s impulses to accelerate, brake, or steer are anticipated and supported by AI‑enabled systems, creating a smoother, more confident and distinctly human driving experience.

The installation SYMBIOSIS translates this philosophy into an abstract art piece. Rooted in symbiosis, the artwork reveals a continuous dialogue between engineered precision and natural evolution. Sculptural form and ephemeral phenomena coexist, where engineered systems give rise to bubbles, light and mist that evolve beyond control, shaped by natural forces. The installation evolves around the new BMW M760e xDrive, which distills every element to its essential form. In its monolithic design, interior, driving experience and craftsmanship will be the ultimate completion of its generation. Together, the artwork and vehicle reveal a balance between complex engineered technology with an emotive outcome.

Azusa Murakami and Alexander Groves say: “We are interested in the idea that existence itself can become a material. We describe our practice as Ephemeral Tech; using advanced engineering not to create virtual simulations, but to work directly with physical reality itself. Once a bubble is released into the air, its final form no longer belongs to the machine, it belongs to gravity, airflow, temperature, entropy and chance. That surrender is what symbiosis means to us."

Bringing together 290 galleries from 43 countries and territories, the 2026 Art Basel edition showcases an exceptional range of art spanning rare twentieth-century masterworks, postwar masterpieces, and some of the most closely watched practices of today. Across the halls, visitors will encounter solo presentations, historically important material, ambitious large-scale installations, and new works by the next generation of artists shaping the future of the field.

BMW is furthermore collaborating with WE ARE ONA for this year’s edition of Art Basel in Basel. Listed among the 2025 Wallpaper* Design Awards, WE ARE ONA is a gastronomic culinary studio organizing high-level culinary experiences for brands and institutions worldwide.

Practical information.
SYMBIOSIS by A.A.Murakami
15-21 June 2026
Art Basel in Basel, Hall 1
Messeplatz 10, 4005 Basel, Switzerland

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Berlin. Under sunny skies, Berlin’s Bebelplatz was once again transformed into a musical festival venue at the weekend: more than 30,000 visitors attended the 20th edition of “Staatsoper für alle” – the premier open-air event organised by the Staatsoper Unter den Linden and its long-standing partner BMW. With the live broadcast of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Nabucco” and the concert by the Staatskapelle Berlin under Christian Thielemann, the audience was treated to two extraordinary open-air musical events – with free admission.

On Saturday evening, the live broadcast from the Staatsoper of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Nabucco”, conducted by Francesco Lanzillotta and featuring Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar, Lidia Fridman, Tareq Nazmi, Elena Maximova, Andrés Moreno García, Clara Nadeshdin, Junho Hwang und Hanseong Yun in the title roles, thrilled audiences both in the auditorium and on the open-air big screen on Bebelplatz. On Sunday morning, the Children’s Opera Orchestra, together with members of the International Opera Studio and the Staatsoper’s Youth Choir, opened the musical programme under the baton of Giuseppe Mentuccia with works by Jacques Offenbach and Jules Massenet. Afterwards, the Staatskapelle Berlin, conducted by General Music Director Christian Thielemann, drew enthusiastic cheers from the audience on Bebelplatz with Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 (“Pastoral”), as well as his overtures to “Coriolan” and “Egmont”.

“Now in its 20th year, 'Staatsoper für alle' demonstrates just how unifying music can be and the special power that lies in making opera and concerts freely accessible to everyone right in the heart of Berlin. It fills me with great joy that Bebelplatz has once again been transformed into a vibrant venue for shared cultural experiences and has delighted so many Berliners and visitors from all over the world. My heartfelt thanks go to all the artists, staff, our partner BMW and our wonderful audience,” said Intendant of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin, Elisabeth Sobotka.

Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, People and Real Estate: “The 20th 'Staatsoper für alle' weekend has once again transformed Bebelplatz into a stage for shared experiences. Thousands of music lovers came together to celebrate the timeless relevance of opera with 'Nabucco'. Moments like these reveal the true power of culture: it inspires, connects and brings joy. This special experience reinforces our commitment at BMW – and we are already looking forward to the coming anniversary year with you all.”

As in previous years, the open-air event was held under the patronage of Berlin’s Governing Mayor, Kai Wegner, who, on Saturday evening, joined Elisabeth Sobotka, Intendant of the Staatsoper, and Nina Englert, Head of the BMW Group’s Berlin branch, in welcoming the audience to the 20th edition of this major musical event on Bebelplatz. On Sunday, the State Secretary for Culture, Ms Cerstin Richter-Kotowski, together with Elisabeth Sobotka and Nina Englert, addressed the tens of thousands of spectators from Berlin and around the world. Journalist and presenter Petra Gute guided the audience through the programme on both days with her knowledgeable and charming commentary. Numerous prominent guests from the worlds of culture and society were also among the audience at “Staatsoper für alle”, including Kostja Ullmann (actor), Michael Michalsky (designer) and Klara Lange (actress).

The opera performance was broadcast live on rbb radio3, whilst the concert by the Staatskapelle Berlin was streamed live on staatsoper-berlin.de and aired on rbb television. Both the radio broadcast of “Nabucco” and the television broadcast of the Staatskapelle concert are available in the ARD media library.

Save the date: On 4 July 2026, “Oper für alle” will take place in Munich, featuring a live broadcast of Richard Wagner’s “Die Walküre”, directed by Tobias Kratzer and conducted by Vladimir Jurowski.

Next year, “Staatsoper für alle” will take place on 12 and 13 June 2027 at Bebelplatz.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Munich. For the first time ever, the entire BMW Art Car Collection will be reunited at home in Munich. Titled “BMW ART CARS – 20 ARTISTS, 50 YEARS OF INNOVATION. REUNITED AT BMW WELT”, the exhibition will present all 20 Art Cars together in one location for the first time, from 29 July to 31 August 2026. The opening ceremony will take place on 28 July. The exhibition within the iconic BMW Welt architecture brings together the “rolling sculptures” from Alexander Calder (1975) to Julie Mehretu (2024). A particular highlight is Olafur Eliasson's “BMW H2R Project”: based on a hydrogen prototype, this piece has only been displayed publicly three times as an installation in a special frozen-down environment since its world premiere in 2007. The exhibition marks the culmination of the BMW Art Car World Tour, which has been celebrating the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Car Collection with a global exhibition programme in over 30 countries across five continents since March 2025.

“I am delighted that the BMW Art Car World Tour is ending here at BMW Welt. This exhibition enables our international visitors to experience the diversity of artistic approaches and technological developments over the last fifty years first-hand, and it reinforces BMW Welt’s role as a place of encounter,” says Sandra Wittemer, Head of BMW Welt.

Spanning five decades, the retrospective at BMW Welt showcases artistic engagement with art, design, technology, innovation, motor racing and engineering. The BMW Art Car Collection started in 1975, when the French racing driver and art dealer Hervé Poulain collaborated with Jochen Neerpasch, then Head of BMW Motorsport, to invite the artist Alexander Calder to transform a racing car into a work of art. The result was a BMW 3.0 CSL that competed in the 1975 Le Mans 24-hour race and became an instant crowd favourite. Since then, the collection has grown to encompass 20 works, with contributions from renowned artists such as Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Esther Mahlangu, David Hockney, Jenny Holzer, Jeff Koons, Cao Fei and Julie Mehretu. Each artist has brought their own unique vision and style to the project.

“BMW ART CARS – 20 ARTISTS, 50 YEARS OF INNOVATION. REUNITED AT BMW WELT” brings together all of the “rolling sculptures” for the first time in a public exhibition space. Each Art Car tells the story of its creator's artistic vision, technological developments and the social context of the period in which it was created. The collection therefore also provides a cross-section of art history from the last five decades: Minimalism, Pop Art, Magical Realism, Abstraction, Conceptual Art and Digital Art are all represented.

Artist Julie Mehretu‘s project shows that a BMW Art Car can transcend the concept of the car as an object: She conceived her project on aBMW M Hybrid V8 (BMW Art Car #20, 2024) from the very beginning as multidimensional endeavour, co-founding the African Film and Media Arts Collective (AFMAC) with screenwriter/ film producer Mehret Mandefro. This initiative brought together artists and filmmakers from Africa and the diaspora for workshops led by international lead artists, exploring new forms of artistic practice and cultural dialogue. The final exhibition, “Turning Towards the Sun”, will be presented from 11 December 2026 to 15 August 2027 at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town.

BMW Art Car Collection at BMW Welt.

1. Alexander Calder / BMW 3.0 CSL / 1975
2. Frank Stella / BMW 3.0 CSL / 1976
3. Roy Lichtenstein / BMW 320i Turbo / 1977
4. Andy Warhol / BMW M1 / 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 / 2017
19. John Baldessari / BMW M6 GTLM / 2016
20. Julie Mehretu / BMW M Hybrid V8 / 2024

The Art Car exhibition at BMW Welt marks the grand finale of the BMW Art Car World Tour, the largest exhibition project in the collection's history. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Cars, an exhibition programme has been taking place worldwide across five continents since March 2025. Having stopped at 60 locations in more than 30 countries, the touring BMW Art Cars have already attracted over 2 million visitors to leading art fairs, museums, motorsport events, and cultural institutions. Highlights include: Art Basel Hong Kong, Art Dubai, Auto Shanghai, Le Mans 24 Hours and Le Mans Classic, Louwman Museum in The Hague, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and The Bridge in the USA, Contemporary Istanbul, Zoute Grand Prix in Belgium, ADI Design Museum in Milan, Rétromobile in Paris, RAD Art Fair in Bucharest, and Market Art Fair in Stockholm. Before the final exhibition in Munich, the BMW Art Car World Tour will make further stops at the Classic Car House in Copenhagen (until 21 June) and the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on Lake Como (15–17 May).

General Information.
BMW ART CARS – 20 ARTISTS, 50 YEARS OF INNOVATION.
REUNITED AT BMW WELT.

Opening: 28 July 2026, 6:30 PM (by invitation)
Exhibition period: 29 July–31 August 2026
Venue: BMW Welt (Auditorium), Am Olympiapark 1, 80809 Munich

Opening hours: Monday–Sunday 09:00 AM–06:00 PM

BMW Welt Lifestyle & Accessory Shop: A range of products for fans of the BMW Art Cars will be available in the BMW Welt shop during the exhibition period. Alongside to the newly reissued publication "BMW Art Cars" (Hatje Cantz Verlag), visitors can look forward to a selection of BMW Art Car miniature models, among other items.

Further information at:
BMW Welt
BMW Art Car Collection

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Munich/Bucharest/Stockholm. The BMW Art Car World Tour continues its global journey with two significant new chapters: a historic debut in Romania at RAD Art Fair (23–26 April), marking the first-ever presentation of Alexander Calder's pioneering BMW Art Car #1 (1975) in the country, and a fifth consecutive partnership with Market Art Fair in Stockholm (24–26 April), featuring the BMW Art Car #20 by Julie Mehretu. With more than 55 stops already completed since March 2025, these presentations represent pivotal moments in the largest exhibition project ever undertaken for the BMW Art Car Collection.

RAD Art Fair 2026: Building Romania's Contemporary Art Future. 
In its fourth edition, RAD Art Fair (23–26 April) has evolved into a vital collaborative platform dedicated to strengthening Romania's contemporary art scene and amplifying the visibility of local artists and galleries on the international stage. In 2026, RAD continues to expand its international reach while refining its curatorial vision through a more focused, intentional approach to programming. Strengthened global partnerships and a growing international audience are positioning Bucharest as an active and influential node in the global contemporary art conversation.

Bucharest honours the BMW Art Car Collection's origins with Alexander Calder's BMW Art Car – the very first BMW Art Car – making its Romanian debut at the fair. Alexander Calder’s BMW 3.0 CSL (1975) laid the foundation for the iconic BMW Art Car Collection when French racing driver and art dealer Hervé Poulain, together with then BMW Head of Motorsport Jochen Neerpasch, asked his artist friend Calder to paint a car. The completely reimagined 3.0 CSL patterned in red, yellow, blue, and white went on to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1975 and became a crowd favourite. The car will complement RAD Sculpture Park, open as a continuation of the Art Fair until 15 May, at the Hotel Caro Gardens in Bucharest.

“I remember our first talk about the fair with the BMW team 4 years ago, when the project was just a plan. I explained how important it is to have a partner like BMW, who is such a great supporter of cultural projects. Since then, we have been working together in an effort to bring Romanian culture scene into a global focus. After just three years, we are proud to be the venue for the first visit of a BMW Art Car in Romania. Considering the connection that Alexander Calder and Constantin Brancusi had through the years, it is very fitting that we have this BMW Art Car here, while promoting the Romanian culture”, Catinca Tabacaru, RAD Art Fair.

20 years of Market Art Fair.
For a fifth consecutive year, BMW partners with Market Art Fair (24–26 April) in Stockholm, the leading fair for contemporary art in the Nordic region. Through its involvement in the fair, BMW continues to connect mobility, innovation, and artistic expression, a tradition that has been a central part of BMW’s global cultural engagement for more than 50 years.

As part of the BMW Art Car World Tour, the latest addition to the BMW Art Car Collection by Julie Mehretu (BMW Ar Car #20) will be exhibited on the ground. She 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, last year and this year mark the next chapter of the project in cooperation with the BMW Group: the African Film and Media Arts Collective (AFMAC). Cape Town hosts the project’s culmination: the exhibition “Scaling Intentions” at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, from 11 December 2026 – 15 August 2027.

For the fourth year, a winning artwork has been selected to decorate the BMW models transporting visitors to and from the Market Art Fair in Stockholm, including the all-new BMW iX3, Neue Klasse, as well as the BMW i7 and BMW X5. This year’s winners, Inka & Niclas, an internationally renowned artist duo consisting of Inka Lindergård and Niclas Holmström from Sweden, will bring a new visual language to the streets of Stockholm, as they apply their distinctive sculptural-photographic practice to BMW’s shuttle fleet. The duo has been selected by an international jury.

"The selection of Inka & Niclas as the 2026 winners of the BMW Art Car Commission feels like a perfect fit. As Nordic artists with an international presence, they embody the essence of Market Art Fair. For the first time in our project’s four-year history, artists working with a photographic medium have been chosen, highlighting new possibilities at the intersection of technology and creativity", says Sara Berner Bengtsson, Director Market Art Fair.

BMW Art Talks and Highlights.
RAD Art Fair (23–26 April)
Art Talk: "Building Local Scenes Within Global Context"
24 April, 5:00pm RAD Pavilion

Panelists: Anca Poterasu (Anca Poterasu gallery), Ovidiu Șandor (founder of Art Encounters), and Thomas Girst (Global Head of BMW Group Cultural Engagement), moderated by Catinca Tabacaru

• Romania's first-ever BMW Art Car presentation
• BMW Lounge featuring curated miniature collection spanning five decades
• BMW PhotoCamp book launch and photographer meet-and-greet

Market Art Fair (April 24–26)
Art Talk: "The Future of the Art World. Where Do We Go from Here?"
25 April, 1:30pm–2:30pm, Pavilion

Panelists: Sara Berner Bengtsson (Market Art Fair Director), Azu Nwagbogu (Founder, African Artists' Foundation & Lagos Photo Festival), and Thomas Girst (BMW Group Global Head of Cultural Engagement)

• Artist duo Inka & Niclas's sculptural photographic practice applied to BMW shuttle fleet
• Six podcast episodes recorded inside the art-designed BMW iX3 in collaboration with The Art Bystander
• Julie Mehretu's BMW M Hybrid V8 Art Car on display

Denmark's Parallel Celebration.
Running concurrently through 21 June, Northern Europe's largest BMW Art Car exhibition at Classic Car House in Denmark showcases eleven iconic Art Cars and original artist models. This ongoing presentation complements the Stockholm and Bucharest stops, demonstrating the tour's unprecedented scale and its ability to create simultaneous cultural dialogues across multiple European venues.

BMW Art Car World Tour.
The BMW Art Car World Tour, which kicked off in March 2025 and continues through August 2026, celebrates the 50th anniversary of the renowned BMW Art Car Collection with an extraordinary journey across flagship art fairs, museums, motorsport events, and cultural institutions worldwide. Featuring more than 55 stops in over 30 countries, the tour has captivated more than two million visitors with its iconic collection of 20 BMW Art Cars, each a unique masterpiece created by some of the world’s most renowned artists.

Highlights of the tour include Art Basel Hong Kong, Art Dubai, Auto Shanghai, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, Ultrace in Poland, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Le Mans Classic, the Louwman Museum in The Hague, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and The Bridge in the USA, the Goodwood Revival, Contemporary Istanbul, Zoute Grand Prix in Belgium, Frieze London, Market Art Fair and The Aurora in Sweden, as well as Retromobile in Paris.

The BMW Art Car World Tour will culminate in its largest exhibition to date at BMW Welt in Munich from 29 July–31 August 2026.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Berlin. The Staatsoper Unter den Linden and BMW invite the public to a special Pentecost weekend on 23 and 24 May 2026. This year’s “Staatsoper für alle” marks its 20th edition – two decades of one of Berlin’s largest and most beloved open‑air classical music events. At one of the city's most beautiful and historically significant squares, Bebelplatz, Berliners and visitors from around the world are once again invited to experience opera and concerts outdoors, free of charge thanks to BMW.

The programme opens on Saturday, 23 May at 6.00pm with a live broadcast of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Nabucco” from the Staatsoper onto the adjacent Bebelplatz. Centering on the fate of two peoples and the actions of its title character, the opera features the famous chorus “Va, pensiero”. The production, created by the acclaimed opera, theatre and film director Emma Dante, premiered at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in 2024. The cast includes Igor Golovatenko, Lidia Fridman, Tareq Nazmi, Elena Maximova, Andrés Moreno García, Clara Nadeshdin, Junho Hwang and Hanseong Yun; the Staatskapelle Berlin will perform under the baton of Francesco Lanzillotta, accompanied by the Staatsopernchor. Verdi’s “Nabucco” will be presented in a top‑flight cast and is free to attend.

On Sunday, 24 May at 1.00pm Bebelplatz will be transformed into a large open‑air concert stage: the Staatskapelle Berlin, led by General Music Director Christian Thielemann, and BMW invite audiences to the BMW Classicsconcert as part of “Staatsoper für alle”. The programme features works by Ludwig van Beethoven – the Overture to Coriolan, Op. 62; Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 (“Pastoral”); and the Overture to Egmont, Op. 84.

As a prelude, the Staatsoper’s children’s opera orchestra and youth choir will perform at 11.30am under the direction of Giuseppe Mentuccia. The performance will feature singers from the Staatsoper Unter den Linden’s international opera studio, including Sonja Herranen, Sandra Laagus, Serafina Starke, Junho Hwang and Irakli Pkhaladze, with music by Jacques Offenbach, Charles Gounod and Jules Massenet.

“Staatsoper für alle” takes place under the patronage of the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner, and will be moderated by journalist and presenter Petra Gute. As in previous years, the opera performance at the Staatsoper will be accompanied by a red‑carpet event, with numerous prominent guests expected.

The large‑scale event “Staatsoper für alle” is a cornerstone of the long‑standing partnership between the Staatsoper Unter den Linden and BMW. Over two decades it has become a fixed highlight of Berlin’s cultural calendar, giving tens of thousands of people each year easy access to high‑quality opera and concert experiences.

Staatsoper für alle 2026
Saturday, 23 May 2026, 6.00pm, Bebelplatz
Live broadcast of Verdi’s “Nabucco”
Conductor: Francesco Lanzillotta
Production: Emma Dante
Cast includes: Igor Golovatenko, Lidia Fridman, Tareq Nazmi, Elena Maximova, Andrés Moreno García, Clara Nadeshdin, Junho Hwang, Hanseong Yun
Staatskapelle Berlin; Staatsopernchor

Sunday, 24 May, 11.30am, Bebelplatz
Pre‑programme: Children’s Opera Orchestra of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden
Conductor: Giuseppe Mentuccia
Soloists: Sonja Herranen, Sandra Laagus, Serafina Starke, Junho Hwang, Irakli Pkhaladze
Youth Choir of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden; Children’s Opera Orchestra
Music by Jacques Offenbach, Charles Gounod and Jules Massenet

Sunday, 24 May, 1.00pm, Bebelplatz
BMW Classics concert with the Staatskapelle Berlin
Conductor: Christian Thielemann
Programme: Ludwig van Beethoven – Overture to Coriolan, Op. 62; Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 (“Pastoral”); Overture to Egmont, Op. 84
Staatskapelle Berlin

Admission to "Staatsoper für alle" is free.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Munich/Lyngby. As part of the BMW Art Car World Tour celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the famous series, Classic Car House and BMW bring one of the most significant intersections of art and mobility to Denmark. From 27 March to 21 June 2026, Classic Car House (CCH) in Lyngby, north of Copenhagen, will host an exceptional exhibition of the legendary BMW Art Car Collection – presenting eleven BMW Art Cars.

“The automobile is an essential part of our cultural heritage – just as art is,” says Niels Folmann, CEO of Classic Car House. “We are proud to present such a unique exhibition. The BMW Art Cars demonstrate in a fascinating way how art and technology can merge, when iconic BMW models become canvases for some of the world’s most influential artists.”

Never before have so many BMW Art Cars been exhibited together in all of Norther Europe. This exhibition marks the first comprehensive presentation of the collection, created by some of the world’s most renowned artists, offering visitors a rare opportunity to experience these cultural icons side by side.

“The BMW Art Car Collection demonstrates how innovation emerges at the intersection of disciplines. Through the BMW Art Car World Tour, we are making this dialogue visible on a global scale. Following BMW Nordics’ presentation of four BMW Art Cars at The Aurora in Sweden last year, eleven “rolling sculptures” are now coming to Denmark thanks to our partner, Classic Car House, marking the largest BMW Art Car exhibition ever presented in Northern Europe. This reflects our long‑term commitment to cultural engagement and our belief that progress is driven by innovation and collaboration”, says Stefan Teuchert, President and CEO of BMW Group Northern Europe.

For the first time ever, ten original BMW Art Car models – or maquettes - will also be presented in the exhibition and will illustrate five decades of artistic experimentation at the intersection of art, design, technology and motorsport.

Several BMW Art Car artists used the scale models as a field of experimentation to develop ideas for the design of their respective BMW Art Cars. These rarely seen objects thus offer a unique insight into the creative process behind the Art Cars, showing how ideas developed from concept to “rolling sculpture.

BMW Art Cars on display at the Classic Car House: 

• #2 | Frank Stella, BMW 3.0 CSL (1976)
• #3 | Roy Lichtenstein, BMW 320 Group 5 Race Version (1977)
• #4 | Andy Warhol, BMW M1 (1979)
• #7 | Michael Jagamara Nelson, BMW M3 Group A Race Version (1989)
• #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 (1993)
• #14 | David Hockney, BMW 850 CSi (1995)
• #15 | Jenny Holzer, BMW V12 LMR (1999)
• #17 | Jeff Koons, BMW M3 GT2 (2010)

BMW Art Car original artist models:

• Alexander Calder
• Frank Stella
• Roy Lichtenstein
• Robert Rauschenberg
• David Hockney
• Andy Warhol M1
• Andy Warhol M1 camouflage
• Sandro Chia
• Jenny Holzer
• Julie Mehretu

The exhibition in Denmark unfolds against a moment of remarkable global momentum for the BMW Art Car World Tour. In late March, the tour made a major stop at Art Basel Hong Kong (27–29 March) with BMW Art Car #6 by Robert Rauschenberg, marking its debut in Asia. Further highlights include BMW Art Car #1 by Alexander Calder at RAD Art Fair in Bucharest (23–26 April), BMW Art Car #20 by Julie Mehretu at Market Art Fair in Stockholm (23–26 April), and BMW Art Car #19 by John Baldessari at the Concorso d’Eleganza (15–17 May), underscoring the tour’s dynamic presence across key cultural platforms worldwide.

Since its inception in 1975, the BMW Art Car initiative has invited leading artists to reinterpret the automobile as a medium for artistic expression. From painting and sculpture to photography and conceptual art, each Art Car reflects the spirit of its time while pushing creative and technical boundaries.

About Classic Car House.

Classic Car House opened in August 2023 and is Northern Europe’s largest destination for classic car enthusiasts. Spanning 25,000 square metres on the former Agricultural Museum and Virumgaard sites, it combines museum, sales and hospitality functions – including a car hotel, workshop, restaurant and flexible event spaces – and is home to around 300 classic vehicles. The centre programmes regular cultural events, from car shows and rallies to talks and concerts.

The Art Car World Tour exhibition will be on display from 27 March to 21 June 2026 at Classic Car House.

Classic Car House
Kongevejen 79–85
2800 Kongens Lyngby

Opening times:
Monday closed
Tuesday - Sunday 10 am–6 pm
Thursday 10am–8pm

BMW Art Car World Tour.
The BMW Art Car World Tour, which kicked off in March 2025 and continues through August 2026, celebrates the 50th anniversary of the renowned BMW Art Car Collection with an extraordinary journey across flagship art fairs, museums, motorsport events, and cultural institutions worldwide. Featuring more than 50 stops in over 30 countries, the tour has captivated more than two million visitors with its iconic collection of 20 BMW Art Cars, each a unique masterpiece created by some of the world’s most renowned artists.

Highlights of the tour include Art Basel Hong Kong, Art Dubai, Auto Shanghai, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, Ultrace in Poland, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Le Mans Classic, the Louwman Museum in The Hague, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and The Bridge in the USA, the Goodwood Revival, Contemporary Istanbul, Zoute Grand Prix in Belgium, Frieze London, Market Art Fair and The Aurora in Sweden, as well as Rétromobile in Paris.

The BMW Art Car World Tour will culminate in its largest exhibition to date at BMW Welt in Munich in summer 2026.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

London/Munich. BMW Group and the London Symphony Orchestra present the fourteenth BMW Classics in London’s iconic Trafalgar Square on Saturday 13 June at 4pm – a free open-air concert by the London Symphony Orchestra, also streamed worldwide on YouTube, Facebook, and into selected BMW cars.

This year’s BMW Classics will be conducted by LSO Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano, who leads a programme of selected highlights celebrating the Orchestra’s long association with two great British masterworks: Gustav Holst’s 'The Planets' and Edward Elgar’s 'Enigma Variations'.

In 2026 and 2027, the LSO launches an ambitious multi-platform celebration of Holst’s 'The Planets', with the BMW Classics concert serving as the project’s largest live performance moment. This wide-ranging initiative will unfold across the two years, bringing digital, educational, and live experiences to audiences in the UK and internationally.

The series begins in March 2026 with a new album on LSO Live, pairing Holst’s astrological suite with Arnold Bax’s 'Tintagel'. This release marks the LSO’s fourth major recording of 'The Planets', following the pioneering acoustic and electronic recordings conducted by Holst himself in the 1920s, and the acclaimed later versions led by André Previn and Sir Colin Davis. At BMW Classics on 13 June, audiences in Trafalgar Square and online will hear selected movements  – Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Uranus.

The LSO’s next live exploration of 'The Planets' takes place in January 2027 with two Barbican performances of Symphonic Cinema, created by Dutch film director Lucas van Woerkum. In these concerts, his film 'Loss' – featuring Emma Thompson and Greg Wise, and portraying a soul’s farewell to earthly life – is synchronised with a live performance of Holst’s score.

At the centre of this year’s Trafalgar Square concert is the world premiere of a new work by Louise Drewett titled 'Four Dances', which has been specially commissioned for BMW Classics. Written for a mixed-ability orchestra, the piece brings together LSO musicians, Guildhall School students, and 55 young musicians from east London participating through the LSO Discovery programmes. Each section is a distinct dance and each flows seamlessly into the next. The dances celebrate London itself and depict four striking public spaces. From start to finish, travelling downriver, these are The Queen’s Walk near London Bridge, Columbia Wharf in Rotherhithe, South Dock on the Isle of Dogs, and Greenwich Pier in Maritime Greenwich. These places are not far apart yet, as so often in London, evoke vastly different moods, from busy urban environments to tranquil, reflective landscapes.

For the finale, the Orchestra performs excerpts from Edward Elgar’s 'Enigma Variations'. The LSO has held a profound connection with Elgar since its foundation in 1904, when the composer conducted the Orchestra during its inaugural season. Its first Principal Conductor, Hans Richter, was also a leading champion of Elgar’s music in Britain and abroad.

The 2026 programme reflects the LSO and BMW’s shared commitment to supporting ambitious, forward-looking cultural projects. As the LSO embarks on its multi-year exploration of Holst’s 'The Planets', BMW Classics serves as the flagship live moment, bringing a major orchestral work into a fully public space –  free, open, and accessible to all. The world premiere of 'Four Dances' further underlines the shared mission of BMW and the LSO to foster young talent and expand musical participation across generations.

For the streaming into select BMW models the content is made available via the Video App (DTS AutoStage Video Service Powered by TiVo™) in the latest infotainment systems of BMW and MINI*. The Video App brings together a wealth of video content from a wide range of providers, including news and live or on-demand shows. A number of streaming services are available internationally, including Disney+, YouTube, Joyn, Bloomberg, TED, ARTE and Plex. These are accompanied by market-specific streaming services.

Dame Kathryn McDowell, Managing Director of the London Symphony Orchestra: “It is a great pleasure to be celebrating some of Britain’s greatest and most popular orchestral music this summer at BMW Classics. The Orchestra has a long association with both ‘The Planets’ and ‘Enigma Variations’, and we particularly remember the stirring moment during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, when the LSO and young musicians in our LSO Discovery programme performed ‘Nimrod’ as the ceremony’s emotional climax – a moment we are delighted to bring to audiences in Trafalgar Square. Alongside these two great classics, we are thrilled to present the world premiere of British composer, Louise Drewett’s ‘Four Dances’, commissioned especially for BMW Classics. On behalf of the LSO and our audiences both in Trafalgar Square and around the world online, I extend our sincere thanks to our esteemed partner BMW and to the Mayor of London for making this event possible.”

Ms Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, People and Real Estate said: “For 15 years, BMW Classics has stood for the idea that extraordinary music should be open to everyone. This year’s programme – from Holst’s ‘The Planets’ to a new commissioned work created for young musicians –  shows how powerful cultural experiences can be when barriers are removed. I am especially excited that audiences around the world can join us digitally and, for the second time, directly from selected BMW vehicles. Our partnership with the LSO continues to demonstrate how technology, creativity and youth engagement can come together to inspire entire communities.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan: “I’m delighted that the London Symphony Orchestra will be returning to Trafalgar Square for another special open-air concert this summer. The BMW Classics brings outstanding, free classical music to the heart of the capital for Londoners and visitors to enjoy. It’s also a wonderful opportunity for talented young musicians to perform alongside this world-renowned orchestra, helping to inspire the next generation of talent as we continue to build a better London for everyone.”

“I am grateful to the London Symphony Orchestra for commissioning this new work. It has been an incredible opportunity to write for so many wonderful musicians of different ages at the one time – the LSO, Guildhall School students and the LSO Discovery young musicians. I’m excited to hear this extraordinary orchestra perform at this year’s BMW Classics. It feels particularly special for the orchestra to perform new work outside the concert hall, publicly in the heart of London in Trafalgar Square,“ said Composer, Ms Louise Drewett.

BMW Classics
London Symphony Orchestra
Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano
Saturday 13 June at 4.00pm
Trafalgar Square, London

Gustav Holst The Planets (Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus)
Louise Drewett Four Dances (world premiere), with young musicians from LSO Discovery
Edward Elgar Enigma Variations (excerpts)

https://www.lso.co.uk/bmwclassics/

For audiences around the world, the concert will be live streamed on the London Symphony Orchestra’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/lso and Facebook page: www.facebook.com/londonsymphonyorchestra and will be available to watch on demand from 14 days after the concert for up to 90 days.

For press material, please visit https://lso.co.uk/more/press.html

Facebook: www.facebook.com/londonsymphonyorchestra
Instagram: www.instagram.com/londonsymphonyorchestra
@londonsymphonyorchestra
#LSOBMWClassics

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Munich/Hong Kong. As long-term partner of Art Basel for more than two decades, BMW presents Robert Rauschenberg's BMW 635CSi Art Car of 1986, celebrating the centennial of the artist’s birth. On the occasion, and as part of the BMW Art Car World Tour, Rauschenberg's iconic car will be presented for the first time ever in Asia.

Courtney J. Martin, Executive Director of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, commented, “We are thrilled that Rauschenberg's Art Car (1986) will make its debut in Asia at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026, concurrent with the exhibition Robert Rauschenberg and Asia at M+. As we celebrate what would have been Rauschenberg’s 100th birthday, the Art Car provides yet another reminder of his unconventional artistic practice. The artist referred to the work as a 'drivable museum,' and like so much of his oeuvre, it blurs the boundaries between art and life, painting and sculpture, art and technology."

This milestone not only highlights the artist’s international legacy but also underscores BMW’s long-standing commitment to cultural engagement with hundreds of initiatives worldwide. Rauschenberg’s visionary “rolling sculpture”, which fuses art history, photography, and everyday culture, exemplifies the pioneering spirit at the intersection of art, technology, motorsport, and design that has defined the BMW Art Car Collection for five decades. BMW also continues its longstanding support for the fair’s VIP car service.

“I think mobile museums would be a good idea. This car is the fulfilment of my dream.” – Robert Rauschenberg, 1986.

In a panel discussion entitled “Robert Rauschenberg and the Velocity of Art”, set to take place on Friday, 27 March at 1:45pm, the BMW Art Talk brings together leading international experts to discuss the continued impact of Rauschenberg’s innovative approach on culture, technology, and cross‑sector collaboration. Russell Storer, Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs at M+ and curator of the exhibition “Rauschenberg and Asia” (until 26 April 2026), Dr Courtney J. Martin, Executive Director of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, and Prof Dr Thomas Girst, Global Head of Cultural Engagement at the BMW Group, will delve into the artist’s legacy from curatorial, institutional, and corporate perspectives.

BMW Lounge at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026. 
To mark Art Basel Hong Kong 2026, BMW will present a dedicated lounge open to visitors throughout the fair’s official opening hours. The lounge will serve as the central stage for the presentation of the BMW Art Car by Robert Rauschenberg, showcased alongside a curated Rauschenberg display centred around a replica of Automobile Tire Print — the artist’s large-scale 1953 work exploring movement, process, and visual trace.

This reproduction inspired by Automobile Tire Print honors the artist’s enduring influence on contemporary culture and the conceptual foundations that resonate powerfully within the Art Car itself.

An opening reception will welcome invited guests, featuring opening remarks by Courtney J. Martin, Executive Director, and Sharon Kim, Chief Collection Officer of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation.

About Art Basel.
Founded in 1970 by gallerists from Basel, Art Basel today stages the world’s premier art shows for Modern and contemporary art, sited in Basel, Miami Beach, Hong Kong, Paris, and Qatar. Defined by its host city and region, each show is unique, which is reflected in its participating galleries, artworks presented, and the content of parallel programming produced in collaboration with local institutions for each edition. Art Basel’s engagement has expanded through new digital platforms including Zero 10 and the Art Basel App, and initiatives such as the Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report and Survey of Global Collecting, Art Basel Awards, and Art Basel Shop. For further information, please visit artbasel.com.

BMW has been a global partner of Art Basel for over two decades, supporting visionary artistic voices across its shows. In February 2026, to mark the inaugural edition of Art Basel Qatar (3–7 February 2026), BMW presented David Hockney’s BMW Art Car (1995) in Doha.

BMW Art Car World Tour.
The BMW Art Car Collection, born from the vision of French racing driver and art dealer Hervé Poulain and BMW Head of Motorsport Jochen Neerpasch, has become a cornerstone of BMW’s cultural engagement. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of BMW Art Cars, the BMW Art Car World Tour showcases an ambitious global exhibition programme across five continents. The tour highlights BMW’s long-standing commitment to cultural engagement, uniting art, technology, motorsport, and design in a uniquely mobile museum of “rolling sculptures”. Art Basel Hong Kong is one of the key international stops on the tour, which runs throughout 2025 and 2026. The schedule continues to evolve and will extend through most of 2026.

BMW Art Car #6 by Robert Rauschenberg, BMW 635CSi, 1986.
Robert Rauschenberg transformed this sports car into a collage of art history, photography, and everyday culture. Rauschenberg was the first to use other artists’ works on his car, silkscreening photographic images of artworks from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York onto the vehicle:

Left-hand side: Angelo Bronzino, Portrait of a Young Man, ca. 1530
Right-hand side: Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Odalisque in Grisaille, ca. 1824–34
Hubcaps: Photographs of antique plates

These elements are combined with images sourced from Rauschenberg’s own photographs of trees and swamp grasses, offering a subtle commentary on the environmental challenges associated with the motor car, as well as referencing his home on Captiva, an island off the coast of western Florida, where the car was created.

About the artist.
Robert Rauschenberg (1925–2008) was a key figure paving the way for American Pop art. Born in Port Arthur, Texas, he studied in Kansas City, Paris, and at Black Mountain College in North Carolina. He earned international acclaim after winning the International Grand Prize for Painting at the 1964 Venice Biennale for his Combines — artworks that merged aspects of painting and sculpture — and his Silkscreen Paintings. A lifelong commitment to collaboration and experimentation led him to make innovative works in a wide range of media — from performance, photography and printmaking to experiments in art and technology. His radical visual language continues to influence artists today.

Rauschenberg Foundation.
The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation builds on the legacy of artist Robert Rauschenberg, emphasizing his belief that artists can drive social change. Rauschenberg sought to act in the “gap” between art and life, valuing chance and collaboration across disciplines. As such, the Foundation celebrates new and even untested ways of thinking.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Paris/Munich. Artist Lara Tabet and curator Yasmine Chemali have been named winners of the BMW ART MAKERS programme to develop their project “Le corps vitré”. This artistic project is a new experiment and the result of their collaboration. The programme will culminate in two original exhibitions at Les Rencontres d'Arles and Paris Photo, further strengthening BMW's long-standing partnerships with both events.

The jury was composed of Pascal Beausse (Head of the Photography Collection at the Centre National des Arts Plastiques), Florence Bourgeois (Director of Paris Photo), Andreina de Bei (Photo Director and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Sciences et Avenir), Hervé Digne (President of Poush-Manifesto), Chantal Nedjib (Founder of Image par l'image), Christoph Wiesner (Director of Rencontres d'Arles), and Maryse Bataillard (Head of Corporate Communications and CSR at BMW Group France).

The "Le corps vitré" project.
“Le corps vitré” is a research and creative project led by artist and biologist Lara Tabet, in collaboration with exhibition curator Yasmine Chemali, which will be developed as part of the BMW ART MAKERS programme. At the crossroads of art, biomedical sciences and ecology, the project explores the relationships between living beings, images and the environment through an experimental process of bacteriography. Using microbiological samples taken from aquatic environments located at the interface between natural spaces and industrial infrastructure, Lara Tabet develops images resulting from the direct interaction between micro-organisms and photosensitive surfaces.

This protocol, at the crossroads of scientific research and artistic creation, makes the images the result of a co-production between the artist and living organisms, where time, light and micro-ecosystems become active agents of form.
For the exhibition produced by BMW ART MAKERS, these imprints of life are transposed into contemporary stained-glass windows, making a transition from the biological to the mineral, via the digital, and inscribing the images within a longer, more enduring timescale. Combining photography, glass and light, Le corps vitré questions the ability of images to make often invisible ecosystems visible and to become a tool for highlighting current environmental issues.

Upon the announcement of their appointment, artist Lara Tabet and curator Yasmine Chemali stated: "We are delighted with this appointment, which recognises a long-standing collaboration fuelled by a shared migratory journey from Beirut to the south of France. On the occasion of the Bicentenary of Photography, we are delighted to be able to develop a project that questions the permeability of bodies through a feminist approach that decentres the human scale while celebrating the hybrid nature of the photographic medium, right from its origins. The BMW ART MAKERS programme, which emphasises collaborative work carried out by a duo, seems to us to be the ideal context for bringing to fruition a curatorial and artistic project that resonates with the challenges of life, image and contemporary ecologies.”

The BMW ART MAKERS programme will make this project possible. 
"At BMW, we firmly believe that arts patronage is an essential source of innovation and cultural expression. This award, which supports both the artist and the curator, illustrates our desire to support ambitious and innovative projects that push the boundaries of contemporary creation. For BMW, this programme is much more than just financial support: it is a commitment to promoting diversity of talent and actively participating in the artistic dynamic, while fostering a fruitful dialogue between art, science and society. By offering this framework of freedom and resources, we enable artists to bring to life works that enrich our view of the world and inspire future generations," said Maryse Bataillard, Head of Corporate Communications and CSR, BMW Group France.

More than 210 applications were received for this new edition.
Each year, the projects received during the call for applications reflect the trends and topics explored by artists. Out of more than 210 submissions, the five finalist duos selected were required to provide a statement of intent, a budget, a production schedule, a set design proposal and portfolios of their previous work.
The projects presented revealed a wide variety of profiles and works, with 63 per cent mixed duos, 25 per cent female duos and 12 per cent male duos.
Nearly half of the duos were French, with the other half comprising international artists and curators from more than 36 countries.

This year's submitted projects address a variety of themes, focusing on the environment, people, living things, memory and history, with a strong link to the bicentenary of photography, which inspires reflections on its heritage and evolution. They showcase a wide variety of practices, ranging from traditional photography to contemporary technologies such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality. The formats combine photography, sound, video and installation, exploring both the photographic medium and innovative narrative and spatial experiences. This edition confirms the focus on diversity and the evolution of visual practices.

The initial selection of projects was made by a preliminary jury of visual arts professionals comprising Fabrice Laroche (Editor-in-chief of Fisheye Magazine), Maud Prangey (Image and Contemporary Art Consultant, Marie Valat (Marie Valat Agency and Head of Contemporary Art Exhibitions for Maison Auguste Comte), and Emmanuelle Vieillard (Exhibition Curator at the Nicéphore Niépce Museum).

The preliminary jury selected five nominated artist-curator duos to be interviewed by the main jury:

• Amr Alfiky (artist), Azu Nwagbogu (curator) with the project Recuerdos del Mar: Memories of the Sea
• Marta Bogdanska (artist), Emmanuelle Halkin (curator) with the project Animae
• Charlotte Charbonnel (artist), Léa Bismuth (curator) with the project Paléorama
• Nicolas Lebeau (artist), Aden Vincendeau (curator) with the project Silver Lining
• Lara Tabet (artist), Yasmine Chemali (curator) with the project Le corps vitré

Biographies of the winners

Lara Tabet, artist.
Lara Tabet is a Lebanese medical biologist and visual artist based in Marseille, whose work combines life sciences, technology and visual arts. She uses experimental photography, bio-art, video, installation and sculpture to transform scientific protocols into creative tools, exploring the interactions between biology, technology and the environment. Trained in clinical pathology in Beirut and photography in New York, she has exhibited internationally and received several awards, including the Prince Claus Mentorship Award in 2022. A laureate of the European STARTS for Water II programme, she has participated in various artist residencies and taught photography in Beirut and Salzburg.

Yasmine Chemali, curator.
Trained in art history, museology and heritage conservation at the École du Louvre and EHESS, she has been developing a curatorial practice focused on photography, archives and contemporary issues of representation for over ten years. She has directed the Fouad Debbas collection, specialising in 19^th and 20^th century photography, and was responsible for the modern and contemporary art collections at the Sursock Museum in Beirut (2014-2020). Since 2020, she has been director of the Centre de la Photographie de Mougins, created to promote contemporary photography through exhibitions, residencies and publications.

Her curatorial approach highlights minority narratives and images as tools of power and resistance, favouring understated presentations that encourage a sensitive reading of the works. At the same time, she works as an independent curator and participates in conferences, while also sitting on the board of directors of the SARADAR private collection in Beirut.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Gurugram/Munich. BMW Group India returns as the presenting partner of the 17th edition of India Art Fair from 5 – 8 February 2026 at the NSIC Exhibition Grounds in New Delhi, marking a decade of the brand’s enduring commitment to cultural engagements in India. India Art Fair is the leading platform showcasing modern and contemporary art from India and South Asia and convenes audiences to explore a record 135 exhibitors, including 94 commercial galleries, presented alongside major regional and international art institutions. The fair welcomes 26 new exhibitors, marking its broadest showcase yet, continuing its mission to foreground the most compelling practices and voices from South Asia alongside major contemporary international artists and collectible design, reaffirming its position as leading site for the discovery of art and culture in the region.

Mr. Hardeep Singh Brar, President and CEO, BMW Group India, said, “BMW Group India’s decade-long partnership with India Art Fair reflects our unwavering belief that culture, creativity, and innovation are inseparable pillars of progress. Through ‘The Future is Born of Art’ Commission and our presence at this vibrant platform, we celebrate the power of artistic expression to shape a sustainable and inclusive future. The BMW Concept Speedtop, showcased this year, symbolizes our commitment to pushing boundaries, where design, technology, and craftsmanship converge to inspire new horizons. Together with India Art Fair, we are proud to nurture a dynamic ecosystem where art and innovation fuel transformation, not just for the automotive world, but for society at large.”

‘The Future is Born of Art’ Commission: A Bold New Chapter.
Marking ten years of creative partnership with India Art Fair and five years of the landmark ‘The Future is Born of Art’ Commission, BMW Group India continues to champion emerging Indian artists on the global stage. The 2026 Commission, themed ‘Crafting in Continuum’, is awarded to Afrah Shafiq for her immersive installation ‘A Giant Sampler’, displayed prominently across the fair’s façade for the first time.

Shafiq’s work reimagines progress as continuity, a harmonious coexistence of handcraft traditions, digital systems, and human touch. Drawing on embroidery motifs and textile practices linked to women’s histories, the installation integrates an interactive Augmented Reality (AR) experience, inviting visitors to engage with layered narratives of memory, movement, and transformation. The BMW wheel, rendered in cross-stitch, emerges as a contemporary emblem of precision, motion, and cyclical change, connecting the brand’s heritage with artistic innovation.

As winners of the prestigious ‘Future is Born of Art’ Commission, led by BMW and India Art Fair, Afrah Shafiq joins the ranks of India’s most promising artistic voices. Previous winners, Non-Linear (Dennis Peter) and Cursorama (Yash Chandak) 2025, Sashikanth Thavudoz (2024), Devika Sundar (2023) and Faiza Hasan (2022), have set the stage with visionary works exploring community, materiality and ecology.

Exclusive Showcase: BMW Concept Speedtop at the BMW Collectors Lounge.
The BMW Concept Speedtop embodies BMW’s seamless fusion of art, design, and innovation, presenting a bold vision of craftsmanship and performance. Its striking shark-nose front, illuminated kidney grille, flowing central spline, and distinctive Touring profile create a powerful presence, enhanced by a dramatic roof gradient from Floating Sunstone Maroon to Floating Sundown Silver and bespoke two-tone wheels.

Inside, the precise craftsmanship from BMW’s Dingolfing plant defines a luxurious cabin with brogue style detailing, two-tone leather in Sundown Maroon and Moonstone White, and an ambient light beam inspired by the exterior spline. The leather finished trunk is thoughtfully divided for multi-day journeys.

A collaboration with Italian leather specialist Schedoni adds bespoke luggage and behind seat storage, underscoring the concept’s exclusivity. Powered by BMW’s most powerful V8, the Concept Speedtop combines dramatic design with exhilarating performance. Limited to just 70 units worldwide, it offers collectors a rare opportunity to own a true automotive masterpiece.

The Concept Speedtop reflects BMW Group’s commitment to cultural engagement and the convergence of art, technology, and future mobility.

About BMW Group India Cultural Commitment.
The BMW Group has initiated and been engaged in hundreds of global cultural initiatives for over 50 years. From music to film, from architecture to design, contemporary art has played an essential role – via long-term institutional partnerships with major museums or partnering with the leading art fairs around the world, such as Art Basel and Frieze from Los Angeles, New York and Miami, to Seoul, Hong Kong, Paris, and London.

Since its inception, BMW India has participated in leading cultural engagements across the country. In 2007, two BMW Art Cars embellished by world-renowned artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein were presented at the Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai. BMW Art Car by Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Sandro Chia and Cesar Manrique have been exclusively showcased at various editions of the India Art Fair.

Since its inception in 2012, BMW has partnered with Kochi-Muziris Biennale, the contemporary art exhibition, which brings international artists to India and creates a global platform for Indian artists. In 2012-13, the innovative BMW Guggenheim Lab came to India. Based at Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum and conducted at six different venues in Mumbai, the lab organised six weeks of free programmes with diverse audiences and communities addressing the challenges and conditions of the urban city.

In 2026, BMW Group India and India Art Fair celebrate ten years of partnership and five years of ‘The Future is Born of Art’ Commission. A milestone that underscores their shared commitment to creativity, innovation and sustainability at the intersection of art, design and technology.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Munich/Doha. BMW has been a global partner of Art Basel for over two decades, supporting visionary artistic voices across its shows. To mark the inaugural edition of Art Basel Qatar, taking place from 3 to 7 February 2026, and as part of the BMW Art Car World Tour, BMW will present David Hockney’s BMW Art Car (1995) in Doha, alongside an opening reception at the BMW Lounge, celebrating the enduring dialogue between contemporary art, innovation and mobility.

As the Associate Partner of Art Basel globally, BMW continues its longstanding support for the fair’s VIP car service.

“I thought it would be a good idea to show the car as if one could see inside.”
—  David Hockney, BMW Art Car #14, 1995.

On the occasion of Art Basel’s first edition in Qatar, BMW brings one of the most celebrated works from its Art Car Collection to the region. Exhibited at the iconic Sahat Wadi Msheireb Plaza, Hockney’s BMW Art Car transforms the automobile into an X-ray-like vision, revealing its interior, occupants and movement.

The presentation highlights Hockney’s fascination with colour, perspective and the passage of time, while placing his visual language in dialogue with five decades of BMW Art Car history.

BMW Lounge at Art Basel Qatar 2026.
To celebrate Art Basel Qatar, BMW presents the BMW Lounge at M7, open to visitors throughout the exhibition’s official opening hours. The Lounge offers guests the opportunity to explore the BMW Art Car Collection in miniature, providing curated insights into BMW’s long-standing engagement with contemporary art.

An opening reception will be held for guests, with opening remarks by artist Christoph Niemann, Tom Eccles (Executive Director, Centre for Curatorial Studies, Bard College) and Prof Dr Thomas Girst (Head of Cultural Engagement, BMW Group). The speakers will reflect on the ongoing dialogue between contemporary art, automotive innovation and the cultural legacy of David Hockney and the BMW Art Car Collection.

The 14th BMW Art Car: David Hockney, 1995.
Born in Bradford, England, in 1937, David Hockney is one of the most influential artists of his generation. A graduate of the Royal College of Art, he emerged from the circles of Swinging Sixties London to define a highly distinctive form of international Pop Art.

David Hockney’s Art Car offers a radical reinterpretation of automotive paintwork by effectively turning the car inside out. Like an X-ray, the design reveals the anatomy of the car and its occupants: the outline of the driver appears on the door, while Hockney’s dachshund Stanley sits on the back seat. Stylised engine components span the bonnet, while sweeping fields of green evoke landscape, motion and time. His Art Car, conceived purely as an exhibition piece, has never been driven on the road or in competition.

The BMW Art Car World Tour.
Following the successful launch of the BMW Art Car World Tour 2025 and the presentation of Andy Warhol’s BMW Art Car #4 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, BMW continues this journey by bringing another legendary Art Car to the Middle East. With Hockney’s BMW Art Car, now presented in Doha, BMW further strengthens the dialogue between contemporary art and automotive innovation across the region.

For over 50 years, the BMW Art Car Collection has provided artists with a unique platform to engage with automobiles as spaces for artistic experimentation. From Alexander Calder and Andy Warhol to Jenny Holzer, Jeff Koons and Julie Mehretu, the 20 BMW Art Cars represent a cross-section of contemporary art history, spanning minimalism, pop art, abstraction, conceptual and digital art.

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the BMW Art Car World Tour presents an ambitious global exhibition programme across all five continents. The tour underscores BMW’s long-term commitment to cultural engagement, bringing together art, technology, motorsport and design in a uniquely mobile museum of “rolling sculptures”. The complete press release and further press material are available for download here.

The BMW Art Car Collection.
The BMW Art Car initiative, born from the vision of French racing driver and art dealer Hervé Poulain and BMW Head of Motorsport Jochen Neerpasch, has become a cornerstone of BMW’s cultural engagement. Over the decades, the collection has grown to include works by Frank Stella, Robert Rauschenberg, Esther Mahlangu, David Hockney, Jeff Koons, and many others, each contributing their unique artistic perspective.

BMW’s commitment to culture extends far beyond the BMW Art Car Collection, encompassing more than a hundred initiatives across contemporary art, music, film, and design. The company’s dedication to fostering creativity and innovation continues to resonate globally, as evidenced by the success of the Art Car World Tour.

The history of BMW's legendary Art Cars.

1.  Alexander Calder / BMW 3.0 CSL / 1975
2.  Frank Stella / BMW 3.0 CSL / 1976
3.  Roy Lichtenstein / BMW 320i Turbo / 1977
4.  Andy Warhol / BMW M1 / 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.  Ólafur Elíasson / BMW H2R / 2007
17.  Jeff Koons / BMW M3 GT2 / 2010
18.  Cao Fei / BMW M6 GT3 / 2017
19.  John Baldessari / BMW M6 GTLM / 2016
20.  Julie Mehretu / BMW M Hybrid V8 / 2024

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

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 by The Golden Bear of 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.

Munich/ Paris. The BMW Art Car World Tour, a celebration of the fusion between art and automotive innovation, marked the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Car Collection in 2025 with an extraordinary journey across five continents. Featuring over 45 stops in more than 30 countries, the tour captivated hundreds of thousands of visitors with its iconic collection of 20 BMW Art Cars, each a masterpiece created by some of the world’s most renowned artists. As the curtain falls on a remarkable year, the tour is set to continue its ambitious trajectory in 2026, beginning with a spectacular exhibition at Rétromobile in Paris.

The BMW Art Car World Tour: Reflecting on a global cultural success in 2025 
The 2025 leg of the BMW Art Car World Tour was a resounding success and reached over 2 million visitors across flagship art fairs, museums, motorsport events and cultural institutions worldwide. Some of the highlights included stops at Art Basel Hong Kong, Art Dubai, Auto Shanghai, Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, Ultrace in Poland, 24 Hours of Le Mans and Le Mans Classic, Louwman Museum in The Hague, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and The Bridge in the USA, Goodwood Revival, Contemporary Istanbul, Zoute Grand Prix in Belgium, Frieze London, and ADI Design Museum in Milan.

Each stop offered a unique opportunity for audiences to engage with the collection, which features works by renowned artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jenny Holzer, and Julie Mehretu. During art talks and accompanying events, visitors had the opportunity to learn background information about the ‘rolling sculptures’ on display and the history of the renowned collection. The Art Cars, ranging from racing thoroughbreds to rare production vehicles, showcased the diversity of artistic expression and BMW’s unwavering commitment to cultural engagement. The initiative, which began in 1975 with Alexander Calder’s reimagined BMW 3.0 CSL, has grown into a global phenomenon, uniting art and automotive enthusiasts alike.

Becoming the first BMW in the National Historic Vehicle Register, the BMW Art Car by Andy Warhol was officially added to the National Heritage Registry of the United States in 2025, underlining the collection’s significance not only as a BMW initiative, but as a lasting contribution to global cultural history.

Opening the next chapter: Rétromobile 2026
The celebration continues in 2026, with the first stop of the BMW Art Car World Tour at Rétromobile in Paris. From 28 January to 1 February, Rétromobile at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles will host a reunion of all seven BMW Art Cars that have competed at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. This exhibition will feature iconic models, including the vivid colours of Andy Warhol’s BMW M1 and the bold statements of Jenny Holzer’s BMW V12 LMR. At the centre of the exhibition hall, BMW and Rétromobile will present a display inspired by the concept of a 'legendary garage':

• #1 I Alexander Calder, BMW 3.0 CSL (1975)
• #2 I Frank Stella, BMW 3.0 CSL (1976)
• #3 I Roy Lichtenstein, BMW 320i Turbo (1977)
• #4 I Andy Warhol, BMW M1 (1979)
• #15 I Jenny Holzer, BMW V12 LMR (1999)
• #17 I Jeff Koons, BMW M3 GT2 (2010)
• #20 I Julie Mehretu, BMW M Hybrid V8 (2024)

Rétromobile, celebrating its own 50th anniversary, provides the perfect stage for this historic gathering. Visitors will have the rare opportunity to witness the intersection of art, motorsport, and history, as the BMW Art Cars take centre stage in one of the world’s most prestigious automotive events. The exhibition promises to be a visual feast, offering deeper insights into the creative processes of the artists and the cultural significance of the collection.

Rétromobile, often described as 'the world's most beautiful temporary garage', has been a gathering place for enthusiasts of exceptional vehicles since 1976. This international event, held in Paris, is the first show of the season for classic car lovers. For half a century, the show has attracted those who appreciate cars for their history and heritage rather than their performance. For its 50th edition, and for the first time in its history, Rétromobile is honoured to receive the high patronage of the French Ministry of Culture. This distinction confirms the major role played by the show in promoting a unique automotive heritage, a true cultural asset for France, recognised both nationally and internationally.

Display of Alexander Calder’s BMW Art Car in the centre of Paris
As part of the anniversary of Rétromobile and the BMW Art Car Collection, the BMW Art Car #1 by Alexander Calder is on display free of charge in the courtyard of the Hôtel de la Marine in Paris from 16 to 26 January. The Hôtel de la Marine, an 18th-century gem located on Place de la Concorde in Paris, opened to the public in June 2021 after a restoration campaign led by the Centre des Monuments Nationaux.

2026 is also a significant anniversary for the artist Alexander Calder: In 1926, Calder came to Paris and created his iconic Cirque. To celebrate the centenary of Calder’s arrival in France, the Fondation Louis Vuitton is holding a major retrospective in his honour this year. Furthermore, the Whitney Museum in New York has been devoting the exhibition “High Wire: Calder’s Circus at 100“ to his legendary work (since October 2025).

“After a year of waiting and preparations, the 50th edition of the Rétromobile show will open its doors in a few days, on 28 January. More than ever, we are eager to unveil the exhibition of the seven BMW Art Cars that participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which will be stopping in France for the first time. In the meantime, fans of the brand and the show can already admire Alexander Calder's BMW Art Car / 3.0 CSL in the courtyard of the Hôtel de la Marine, Place de la Concorde, until 26 January,“ says Romain Grabowski, Director of Rétromobile.

Helmut Käs, Head of BMW Group Classic: “The BMW Group Classic is proud to support the BMW Art Car appearance at the Retromobile 2026 in close cooperation with the BMW Cultural Engagement, BMW France and the organizers of the Retromobile. There could not be a better reason: 50 years of Rétromobile and the BMW Art Car World Tour on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Cars.“

“Celebrating 50 years of the BMW Art Cars collection is above all a tribute to a visionary audacity that began half a century ago, when art and motor racing came together for the first time. This exceptional exhibition at Rétromobile marks a unique moment where creativity, innovation and heritage meet. The BMW Art Cars embody the very essence of our brand: a passion for design, performance and creative freedom. Bringing these rolling works of art together and sharing them with the public illustrates how art and mobility are shaping the future together,“ says Vincent Salimon, CEO BMW Group France.

Practical information 
BMW Art Car exhibition at Rétromobile
From 28 January to 1 February 2026
Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, 1 Pl. de la Prte de Versailles, 75015 Paris
For access to Rétromobile, please register here: PRESS ACCREDITATION

Exhibition of Alexander Calder's BMW Art Car at Hôtel de la Marine
From 16 to 26 January 2026, 8 am to midnight
Free admission
Courtyard of the Hôtel de la Marine, 2 place de la Concorde, 75008 Paris

Upcoming BMW Art Car World Tour 2026
Next stop of the BMW Art Car World Tour after Rétromobileinclude a presentation of Ernst Fuchs‘ and Jeff Koons‘ ‘rolling sculptures’ at RETRO CLASSICS in Stuttgart (February) as well as displays at Art Basel (Doha & Hong Kong), Turkey, Romania, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Ireland, and Germany. Furthermore, an exhibition of the BMW Art Cars is planned at the BMW Welt in Munich in summer 2026.

The BMW Art Car Collection
The BMW Art Car initiative, born from the vision of French racing driver and art dealer Hervé Poulain and BMW Head of Motorsport Jochen Neerpasch, has become a cornerstone of BMW’s cultural engagement. Over the decades, the collection has grown to include works by Frank Stella, Robert Rauschenberg, Esther Mahlangu, David Hockney, Jeff Koons, and many others, each contributing their unique artistic perspective.

BMW’s commitment to culture extends far beyond the BMW Art Car Collection, encompassing more than a hundred initiatives across contemporary art, music, film, and design. The company’s dedication to fostering creativity and innovation continues to resonate globally, as evidenced by the success of the Art Car World Tour.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Kochi/Munich. Since its very first edition in 2012, BMW has been an official partner of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB). For the sixth Kochi-Muziris Biennale, the Kochi Biennale Foundation is curated by Nikhil Chopra with HH Art Spaces featuring 66 artists projects from more than 25 countries. The biennale opened to the public on 12 December 2025 and will last for a period of four months.

Mr. Hardeep Singh Brar, President & CEO, BMW Group India said, “The BMW Group India is proud to continue its partnership with the sixth edition of Kochi-Muziris Biennale, a platform that celebrates creativity, dialogue and new perspectives. Art has the power to inspire progressive thinking, and this partnership reflects our belief in innovation that moves both people and culture forward. The Biennale’s spirit of openness and exploration mirrors, BMWs philosophy of redefining possibility, and we are delighted to be a part of a movement that enriches India’s cultural landscape.”

The exhibition, the largest contemporary art biennale in South Asia and the first of its kind in India, unfolds across 29 venues in Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, Willingdon Islands and Ernakulam. It sits in conversation with a constellation of exhibitions, performances, and discursive programmes which are set in close dialogue with Kochi’s unique geographical, social and cultural ecology.

Embracing process as methodology, this edition places ‘friendship economies’ as the very scaffolding of the exhibition. The curatorial vision acknowledges bodies as a landscape of time, a vessel of labour, joy, and loss, and invites the visitors to think through ‘embodied histories’ of those that came before us and continue to live within us in the form of cells, stories and techniques.

BMW Group India Cultural Engagement
Since its inception, BMW India has participated in leading cultural engagements across the country. In 2007, two BMW Art Cars created by world renowned artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein were presented at the Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai. BMW Art Cars by Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Sandro Chia and Cesar Manrique have been exclusively showcased at various editions of the India Art Fair. “The Future is Born of Art” is a unique initiative by BMW India and India Art Fair which aims to propel emerging Indian artists and further BMW Group’s commitment to promote art, sustainability, and innovation. In 2012-13, the innovative BMW Guggenheim Lab came to India. Based at Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum and conducted at six different sites in Mumbai, the lab organised six weeks of free programmes with diverse audiences and communities addressing the challenges and conditions of the urban city.

Since 2012, BMW has partnered with the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, the contemporary art exhibition, which brings international artists to India and creates a global platform for Indian artists. This vital and dynamic partnership has been instrumental in shaping the Biennale into a global cultural landmark. BMW Group’s continued commitment, even in uncertain times, highlights its profound belief in the power of art and culture to unite and inspire.

About the Kochi-Muziris Biennale
Kochi-Muziris Biennale is India’s first-ever biennial of international contemporary art and its story is unique to India’s current reality—its political, social and artistic landscape. It began as a government initiative, when the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Government of Kerala approached two artists—Riyas Komu and Bose Krishnamachari—to help organize an international platform for art in India. The challenge was proportionate to the ambition of the project. A biennial had never gotten past the conceptual stage in India before. There was no existing infrastructure necessary for an exhibition of this scale—no spaces and no institutional support structures.

With the support of the government, private patrons, and local businesses the Biennale found spaces and opened them up for art. The Indian art community has been growing rapidly and is emerging onto the world stage, and the international arts community offered their support in sending art and artists to participate in Kochi. Artists became the spokespersons and activists for the biennale.

About Nikhil Chopra
Nikhil Chopra’s artistic practice interweaves live art, drawing, photography, sculpture and installations. His performances, largely improvised, dwell on identity and its construction, autobiography and authorship, the pose and

self-portraiture. Nikhil combines everyday life, memory and collective history; daily acts such as eating, resting, washing and dressing, in tandem with the act and discipline of making large-scale drawings in situ become the process of making an artwork.

Nikhil’s works have been included in major exhibitions including Documenta 14, the12th Sharjah Biennale, the 12th Havana Biennale; the 2nd Kochi-Muziris Biennale and the 53rd Venice Biennale amongst others. He has also shown works and performed at the Gropius Bau, Berlin; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester; New Art Exchange, Nottingham; , SFMOMA, San Francisco; Artsonje, Seoul; Museum of Contemporary Art, Yinchuan, China; Centre Pompidou, Paris; Astrup Fearnley Museum, Oslo, Norway; Indian Highway, Serpentine Gallery, London, UK; Carriageworks, Sydney; and Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, New Delhi.

Nikhil Chopra was born in Kolkata in 1974, and lives in Goa where he runs HH Art Spaces with partners. After studying at the Faculty of Fine Arts at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Vadodara, India, the artist continued his studies in the United States in 2003, returning to India in 2005 with a Master’s degree from Ohio State University.

About HH Art Spaces
HH Art Spaces, Goa, was founded in 2014 by Nikhil Chopra and Romain Loustau, both live art and performance artists. HH Art Spaces is a movement, and currently includes the shared vision, voices, rigor, and energies of a collective of artists and cultural practitioners. Key founding and partner members of the organization are: Madhavi Gore, Shivani Gupta, and Shaira Sequeira Shetty. HH Art Spaces fosters an ethos of collaborations, residencies and interdisciplinary exchanges within art and culture; and has worked with artists and organizations locally, regionally and internationally.

Over the years, HH Art Spaces has developed a rich archive of visual, sonic, installation, and live art and performance work, in South Asia. HH Art Spaces promotes artists and produces exhibitions and artist residencies, talks and workshops, in contemporary and traditional artistic practice-based research, bridging transdisciplinary practices through collaborations and partnerships. HH is a hub and a laboratory for artists and curators to investigate and explore new forms and approaches within arts and cultural practice.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Munich/Paris. 2026 will be a special year for photography as we celebrate the bicentenary of its creation. Nicéphore Niépce, a visionary inventor from the early 19th century, is widely recognised as having produced the first permanent photograph in 1826, thereby sparking a visual revolution that continues to shape the way we see the world today. the world today. Less well known but equally influential, Nicéphore, along with his brother Claude, was also a pioneer of the internal combustion engine, an invention that profoundly transformed mobility and our daily lives. These two major advances, photography and the internal combustion engine, have brought about fundamental technological and cultural changes. It is in this spirit that BMW, at the crossroads of mobility and creativity, is passionately committed to photographic patronage, notably at the Niépce Museum in Chalon-sur-Saône, where the BMW residency was born in 2010, before launching the BMW ART MAKERS programme in 2021. Evolution and progress come through knowledge: these inventions provide rich material for artists and curators to think about and create, inviting them to imagine new forms of expression and reflection.

Call for applications
To celebrate the bicentenary of photography in 2026, the BMW ART MAKERS programme invites applicants to honour this heritage while imagining forward-looking projects. Echoing Niépce’s pioneering spirit, this exceptional edition encourages the exploration of the links between image, innovation and transformation, in a context where creativity and responsibility come together.

Since 1826, photography has stood at the heart of cultural and technological change—an ambition now shared by BMW through its commitment to more intelligent, more human-centered and more sustainable mobility. Artist–curator duos are therefore invited to propose a project that reimagines our relationship with the image, movement and progress.

The call for applications is open until 31 December 2025 at 11:59 p.m.
The winning duo will be announced in January 2026.

BMW ART MAKERS: financial, material and human support that includes

• A grant of €10,000 for the artist,
• A grant of €8,000 for the curator,
• A budget of €15,000 for research and production of the works,
• The production of an exhibition integrated into major events such as Paris Photo and the Rencontres d'Arles,
• Support in coordination and communication.

Practical information
In particular, the project should:

• Innovate or experiment with the medium.
• Design a scenography that is carefully thought out throughout its entire life cycle and can be reused at the Rencontres d'Arles and then at Paris Photo.
• Prioritise the sober and responsible use of resources.
• Question or provide an artistic perspective on current issues.

Applications are open until 31 December 2025 on the dedicated BMW ART MAKERS application platform. More information is available on the official Instagram account bmwgroupculture_fr.

The nominated duos will be contacted in early January to present their project to the jury, which will announce the winning duo in January 2026.

Over 50 years of cultural patronage
For more than 50 years, BMW has been committed to culture, convinced that artists are pioneers capable of anticipating and revealing the major challenges of their time. Supporting creativity means supporting those who are shaping the future.

This commitment is exemplified in its longstanding partnerships—23 years with Paris Photo and 15 years with the Rencontres Photographiques d’Arles. By supporting the international art scene, BMW offers decisive visibility to emerging talents, many of whom have since achieved major recognition, reaffirming the relevance of this engagement. This dialogue between artistic innovation, society and business reflects a shared ambition: to safeguard the future of culture and make it accessible to all, today and for generations to come.

From Frank Stella to Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons and the emerging artists of the BMW Residency and the BMW ART MAKERS programme, BMW has spent decades promoting new artistic perspectives and the hybridisation of techniques across contemporary art, music, architecture, design, photography and the visual arts. Hundreds of projects have been created worldwide.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Milan/Munich. The BMW Art Car World Tour is set to arrive in Milan at the ADI Design Museum, marking a major milestone in the celebration of five decades of artistic innovation. From 4 December 2025 to 8 January 2026, visitors will have the opportunity to experience eight iconic BMW Art Cars designed by internationally renowned artists such as Alexander Calder, Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jeff Koons. Having previously travelled to Art Basel Hong Kong, Le Mans Classic in France, the Bridge in USA, Louwman Museum in the Netherlands, Belgium’s Zoute Grand Prix and over 45 further stops in more than 30 countries across the globe, the BMW Art Car World Tour will conclude this year in Milan before continuing on to Rétromobile in Paris in 2026.

Massimiliano Di Silvestre, President of BMW Italia says: “Celebrating 50 years of the BMW Art Cars is truly a privilege and a great emotion for us, as it allows us to express our commitment to the world of art and design, which finds the perfect setting in Italy. Having eight cars on display at the ADI Museum in Milan also means hosting the exhibition with the highest number of BMW Art Cars featured in the 2025 world anniversary tour — a strong sign of our commitment and our desire to convey the brand’s values to enthusiasts, customers, media and partners.”

The Italian leg of the Art Car World Tour kicked off at the Concorso d'Eleganza 2025, where the Sandro Chia Art Car was exhibited alongside the entire BMW Art Car miniature collection. On 29 and 30 November, the tour continues at the Nanni Nember “House of BMW Brescia”, where three legendary BMW Art Cars will be on display together with the new BMW iX3, the first model of the “Neue Klasse”. Located in the heart of Milan, a global capital of fashion and design, the ADI Design Museum will provide the perfect setting to showcase eight vehicles from the world-renowned collection to close the year:

• #1 I Alexander Calder, BMW 3.0 CSL (1975) 
• #2 I Frank Stella, BMW 3.0 CSL (1976) 
• #3 I Roy Lichtenstein, BMW 320i Turbo (1977) 
• #12 I Esther Mahlangu, BMW 525i (1991)
• #13 | Sandro Chia, BMW M3 GTR (1992)
• #15 | Jenny Holzer, BMW V12 LMR (1999)
• #17 | Jeff Koons, BMW M3 GT2 (2010)
• #20 | Julie Mehretu, BMW M Hybrid V8 (2024)

ADI Design Museum
The ADI Design Museum in Milan celebrates both Italian and international creativity and innovation. Since 2021, it has showcased award-winning works that have shaped the history of industrial design and aesthetics. Located in the heart of the city, the museum occupies a repurposed industrial space that harmoniously blends historical architecture with contemporary style, offering an ideal setting for exhibitions exploring the intersection of art, innovation, and culture.

Celebrating 50 Years: The BMW Art Car Collection
Milan 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, enhanced by a vibrant array of events.

The BMW Art Car initiative was born in 1975 when French racing driver and art dealer Hervé Poulain, in collaboration with BMW’s then Head of Motorsport, Jochen Neerpasch, invited artist Alexander Calder to transform a car into a work of art. The result was a strikingly reimagined BMW 3.0 CSL, which not only became a visual masterpiece but also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, earning widespread acclaim. Over the years, the collection has grown to include contributions from legendary artists such as Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Esther Mahlangu, David Hockney, Jenny Holzer, Jeff Koons and Julie Mehretu, each bringing their unique vision and style to the project.

Following the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Car Collection and the BMW 3 Series this year, car enthusiasts can look forward to another jubilee next year: 2026 will mark the 50th anniversary of Rétromobile, one of the world’s most prestigious automotive shows dedicated to the classic car sector. To celebrate this milestone, BMW is bringing together all BMW Art Cars that have raced at Le Mans for a spectacular reunion in Paris early next year. Find out more about this event here.

Showcasing the collection of 20 iconic BMW Art Cars, the BMW Art Car World Tour serves as a testament to the company’s deep-rooted commitment to global cultural engagement – spanning more than a hundred initiatives across contemporary art, music, film and design. Follow the journey here.

Practical Information
The Art Cars World tour exhibition In Milan will be on display from 4 December 2025 to 8 January 2026, at the ADI Design Museum in Milan.

ADI Design Museum:
Piazza Compasso d’Oro 1
20154 Milano

Opening times:
Monday – Sunday: 10.30 am to 8 pm (last entrance 7.15 pm)

Friday closedFor more information, please visit: https://www.adidesignmuseum.org/en/

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Marrakech/Munich. The African Film and Media Arts Collective (AFMAC) is set to arrive in Marrakech following the successful completion of its first workshops with African filmmakers and visual artists in Lagos, Tangier, and Nairobi. Continuing her BMW Art Car project, the AFMAC initiative was launched in April this year by internationally renowned artist Julie Mehretu, in collaboration with Emmy-nominated film producer Mehret Mandefro and BMW. As the long-term mobility partner of the Marrakech International Film Festival (28 November – 6 December), Smeia, the exclusive importer of BMW in Morocco, together with BMW AG, will offer insights into works from AFMAC lead artists Zeresenay Berhane Mehari, Wanuri Kahiu, Jim Chuchu and The Otolith Group, as well as impressions from the workshops next to Mehretu’s BMW Art Car on the festival grounds during the opening weekend.

10 years of partnership between Smeia, the official BMW importer in Morocco, and Marrakech International Film Festival 
Established in 2001, the Marrakech International Film Festival aims to support and promote both the art of cinema and the film industry in Morocco. Smeia, the official BMW importer in Morocco, has been the mobility partner of the Marrakech International Film Festival for the past ten years enhancing each guest’s journey with elegance and distinction. Over the last two decades, the festival has evolved into a vibrant platform for creativity and exploration, celebrating the values of diversity, cultural exchange, and mutual enrichment.

For its 22^nd edition the Marrakech International Film Festival celebrates world cinema with a selection of 82 films from 31 countries, presented in several sections: the Official Competition, Gala Screenings, Horizons section, the 11th Continent, Moroccan Panorama, Young Audiences and Families, and films screened in parallel with Tributes given to film personalities. The Official Competition showcases new talent in world cinema with 14 first and second feature films that compete for the Étoile d’or, awarded by a jury headed this year by South Korean director and multiple award winner Bong Joon-ho. Additionally, the festival will honour Jodie Foster, Guillermo del Toro, Raouya, and Hussein Fahmi – four exceptional figures whose careers showcase the diversity and richness of cinema. Highlights of this year's festival programme include screenings of film productions such as Dead Man’s Wire (opening film/ Gala) by Gus Van Sant and Akinola Davies Jr.'s My Father's Shadow (Official Competition). All details on this year’s official selection can be found here.

Smeia, BMW and AFMAC are also collaborating with the festival’s Atlas Workshops, an industry and talent development programme. As part of this partnership, Mehret Mandefro and Zeresenay Berhane Mehari will share insights into their work with the Atlas Station participants on 30 November at 12noon. The panel “Beyond the Gaze: Authentic African Stories and the Creative Journey” explores the promise and perils of authentic storytelling as part of the creative process building AFMAC. Zeresenay Berhane Mehari will talk about his creative process and explore how to protect voice and vision in a global marketplace that often requires compromise.

AFMAC at Marrakech International Film Festival
At this year’s festival edition, Julie Mehretu's BMW Art Car #20 will be showcased on the festival grounds, surrounded by an AFMAC Hub. Julie Mehretu unveiled her BMW M Hybrid V8 Art Car at the Centre Pompidou in 2024, marking the first time in the collection's history that an artist developed an Art Car that goes far beyond the car as a pure art object. In collaboration with BMW and Mehret Mandefro, Mehretu launched the African Film and Media Arts Collective (AFMAC), which has been hosting workshops in 2025 and 2026 across African cities such as Dakar, Lagos, and Cape Town. The initiative aims to nurture creativity and foster collaboration with emerging African artists and filmmakers.

“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.

The outcomes of the AFMAC workshops will be exhibited alongside the 20th BMW Art Car at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in Cape Town at the end of 2026. The presentation at the Marrakech International Film Festival offers a unique opportunity to gain first insights into the ongoing project ahead of the final exhibition. The display of Mehretu’s BMW M Hybrid V8 in Marrakech is part of the BMW Art Car World Tour, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the legendary BMW Art Car Collection this year. To mark this jubilee, the tour features an exhibition programme spanning all five continents and including numerous accompanying events.

The AFMAC hub on the festival grounds in Marrakech is open to all visitors and located some meters away from the epicentre of the Film Festival Masterclasses, the Meydene theatre at M Avenue Marrakech. It offers an exclusive opportunity to explore selected works by leading artists, Wanuri Kahiu , The Otolith Group, and Zeresenay Berhane Mehari :

Jim Chuchu
“Invocations: Release” (2015), a single-channel video work, portrays an African body navigating tradition, expectation, and self-determination, using ritualistic movement and visual metaphors to transform constraint into liberation.

“Carrying Capacities” (2025) is a rhythmic visual meditation using aerial perspectives and editing to explore Earth's landscapes, cities, human activity, and environmental alteration, reflecting on the planet's ability to sustain human impact.

Wanuri Kahiu 
Through the trailer to the Sci-Fi short film “Pumzi” (2009) visitors encounter a futuristic Africa, 35 years after World War III ‘The Water War’. In a world where nature is extinct and the outside is dead, museum curator Asha defies the Maitu Council's restrictions to plant a germinating seedling outside, hoping to uncover signs of life.

The Otolith Group
Inspired by the poet Rabindranath Tagore's 1921 lecture “The Message of the Forest” at Berlin's Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität—recorded on shellac at the Hotel Esplanade—the Otolith Group's eponymous work bridges nearly a century of time. The digitized recording of Tagore's voice, which envisioned the world campus he would establish that same year at Visva Bharati University in West Bengal, now speaks to ancient Banyan trees and today's students. Through separate paths of image and sound, the work connects the ancient past to the distant future of a changing planet.

Zeresenay Berhane Mehari
Through the trailer to the feature film “Difret” visitors encounter the story of a young Ethiopian girl and a lawyer who challenge deeply-rooted cultural traditions to fight for equal rights. When 14-year-old Hirut is abducted for marriage and kills her captor in self-defense, lawyer Meaza steps in to save her from a death sentence, risking everything to confront one of Ethiopia’s oldest traditions.

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

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

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 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.

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 by The Golden Bear of 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.

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 images, audio, performance, and installations and engages with post-human discourses, building intergenerational and cross-cultural platforms.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Munich/Berlin. The Preis der Nationalgalerie 2026 will be awarded to Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. The prize honours one of the most influential contemporary artists, who will be represented in Germany for the first time with a solo exhibition. His works, which range from sculpture and installation to conceptual practice, are characterised by sharp humour, bitter seriousness, and a profound reflection on social structures. Since its launch in 2000, this prestigious award has recognised artistic positions that have had a decisive influence on contemporary art and presented them to a broad public in Berlin. BMW has been the exclusive partner of this unique initiative since 2006. The exhibition accompanying the Preis der Nationalgalerie will open at the Neue Nationalgalerie during Berlin Art Week in September 2026.

“Back in 2016, Maurizio Cattelan gave a fully electric BMW i3 a spaghetti-themed wrap as part of our partnership with ‘Rencontres d’Arles’. Creative freedom has defined BMW’s cultural engagement for over 50 years, through hundreds of collaborations across the globe. And it is precisely this freedom that Cattelan continues to explore to its fullest – with wit, intelligence, and often a sharp critical edge. Whether art reflects our existence or opens up new perspectives has been discussed since the Romantic era. In Cattelan’s case, it is always both. Social relevance and creative excellence come together here, just as they do with the Preis der Nationalgalerie, which BMW has supported for two decades. We congratulate Maurizio Cattelan on being awarded the 2026 Preis der Nationalgalerie and on his upcoming solo exhibition at the Neue Nationalgalerie,” says Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Human Resources and Real Estate.  

BMW and Maurizio Cattelan collaborated at “Rencontres d’Arles” in 2016; together with photographer Pierpaolo Ferrari, Cattelan created a special project based around the fully electric BMW i3. The so-called “Spaghetti Car” featured the vehicle completely covered in spaghetti-themed foil – a humorous and conceptual work that playfully addressed issues of art, consumption, and sustainability.

Since the early 1990s, Maurizio Cattelan (born 1960 in Padua) has been one of the defining voices in international art. His iconic works – including “La Nona Ora” (1999), a figure of Pope John Paul II struck by a meteorite, “Him” (2001), a praying schoolboy with the face of Adolf Hitler, and “Untitled” (2003), an animatronic sculpture based on the protagonist of Günter Grass’s “The Tin Drum” – show how Cattelan uses shock, irritation and moral ambivalence to raise central questions of our time: guilt, responsibility, power, and collective trauma. Cattelan's artistic practice is permeated by an aesthetic of “comic existentialism” – a combination of humour and tragedy, irony and profundity, that makes his works appear both accessible and enigmatic. With this exhibition, Maurizio Cattelan returns to Berlin, where he co-curated the 4th Berlin Biennale in 2006.

The expert jury for the Preis der Nationalgalerie 2026 is made up of outstanding international directors: Emma Lavigne (Director of the Pinault Collection, Paris) and Sam Keller (Director of the Fondation Beyeler, Basel) as well as Klaus Biesenbach (Director of the Neue Nationalgalerie). In addition to the expert jurors, the curators of the Nationalgalerie and the members of the FREUNDE der Nationalgalerie were also eligible to submit nominations.

Emma Lavigne, Sam Keller, Klaus Biesenbach say: „Nearly two decades ago, as co-curator of the 4th Berlin Biennale, Maurizio Cattelan played a decisive role in establishing Berlin’s international standing as a centre of contemporary art. Twenty years on, a solo exhibition at the Neue Nationalgalerie offers an opportunity to revisit and reflect on this formative influence within a new social and cultural context.

Cattelan’s practice engages enduring themes such as power, religion, death, humour and memory – concerns that resonate with particular force in Berlin, a city profoundly shaped by its complex history. As an Italian artist with an international career, he brings a distinctly European perspective to questions of identity, responsibility and collective remembrance. His works invite us to confront history in ways that are simultaneously provocative, critical and poetic.

In Germany, where forms of remembrance are currently being re-examined –  between the last generations with direct connections to the NS era and a younger generation informed by global perspectives – Cattelan’s art acquires renewed significance. His iconic gestures, oscillating between exaggeration, irony, and pain, challenge the rituals of commemoration, evoke both history and its narratives, and open new vantage points on contemporary social debates. In a time of increasing political polarisation, his art can encourage us to view remembrance not as compulsion or obligation, but as a vital and relevant engagement with the present and the future.

Cattelan’s ironic questioning of authority and “truth” carries particular urgency today. At a moment when institutions – museums, politics and the media – are re-evaluating their credibility and social roles, he scrutinizes structures of power both within and beyond the art world, always without a moralizing tone. His works provoke reflection on personal responsibility, historical representation and the limits of institutional critique and authority. In an atmosphere of political and social hardening, Cattelan’s subversive humour acts as a liberating force. He reminds us that provocation and wit are not expressions of cynicism but forms of resistance and constructive reflection. Particularly in the German context, where public discourse often carries a strong moral charge, his art opens up spaces for thought beyond outrage and polarization. Cattelan is not an artist of straightforwardness. His strength lies in embracing ambiguity, exposing contradictions and posing new questions. This willingness to inhabit the in-between generates productive tension and reminds us that ambiguity is not a weakness but a precondition for critical awareness.

The Neue Nationalgalerie, with its iconic building by Mies van der Rohe, is ideally suited as a place situated between modernity, the 20th and 21st centuries, and the present day, to showcase Cattelan's work in all its complexity – as a mirror and commentary on our time.”

Christian Kohorst, Chairman of the FREUNDE der Nationalgalerie, says: “With Maurizio Cattelan, we are honouring an artist who addresses social issues with sharpness, wit and profundity. The fact that his first major solo exhibition in Germany is being shown at the Neue Nationalgalerie underlines the Preis der Nationalgalerie’s claim to bring artistic positions of international significance to Berlin.”

Maurizio Cattelan’s exhibition at Neue Nationalgalerie will be curated by Lisa Botti, curator at the Neue Nationalgalerie, with Klaus Biesenbach, director of the Neue Nationalgalerie, and will open in September 2026 during Berlin Art Week with an award ceremony.

The Preis der Nationalgalerie, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, has established itself over the decades as one of the most important art prizes, showing its winners to make a significant impact both nationally and internationally. Today, the Preis der Nationalgalerie continues to be a tribute that reflects the vital international art scene and transfer it into an institutional context. In this spirit, the prize in 2026 will remain flexible and open for changes and will be continued in a new format for the first time at Neue Nationalgalerie. From 2026, artists who set international standards and whose work has not yet been comprehensively presented in Berlin, will be honoured through a solo exhibition. The change of location places contemporary art in dialogue with the collection of the Neue Nationalgalerie and its history. The iconic hall of the Mies van der Rohe building provides the ideal setting for a concise, artistic setting. The exhibition is made possible by the FREUNDE der Nationalgalerie.

Further information on the Preis der Nationalgalerie and its comprehensive history can be found at preis.freunde-der-nationalgalerie.de.

Maurizio Cattelan, 2025:
BEING AN ARTIST IS NOT A JOB, IT'S A MALFUNCTION
ART IS A WAY TO SURVIVE, NOT A WAY TO LIVE
IF I KNEW WHAT I WAS DOING, I WOULD HAVE STOPPED A
LONG
TIME AGO
SOMETIMES THE BEST IDEA IS THE ONE YOU'RE TOO
ASHAMED
TO SAY OUT LOUD
FAILURE IS MY FAVORITE COLOR
I DON'T MAKE ART TO COMMUNICATE, I MAKE IT TO ESCAPE
IF YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING SERIOUS, WEAR A CLOWN'S
NOSE
I DON'T BELIEVE IN INSPIRATION, I BELIEVE IN GOOD TIMING AND
BETTER EXCUSES
YOU DON'T MAKE A MASTERPIECE, YOU SURVIVE ONE
BEAUTY IS THE PERFECT ALIBI
MY GOAL IS TO VANISH COMPLETELY, LEAVING BEHIND JUST A
QUESTION MARK
AS LONG AS YOU DON'T CHOOSE, EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE
BEING ORIGINAL IS OVERRATED, BEING PRECISE IS TERRIFYING
GUILT IS ONE OF THE PUREST MATERIALS AN ARTIST CAN USE
SOMETIMES I WISH I COULD COPYRIGHT SILENCE
IF I BELIEVED IN MESSAGES, I'D WORK IN ADVERTISING
I DON'T CREATE MEANING, I OFFER TRAPS FOR IT
TRUTH IS NOT AN INGREDIENT, IT'S THE AFTERTASTE
EVERY ARTWORK IS A LOOPHOLE
YOU KNOW IT'S WORKING WHEN YOU START REGRETTING IT
IF I WANTED COMFORT, I'D BUY FURNITURE
THE BEST ARTWORKS ARE MISTAKES NO ONE DARED TO FIX
A GOOD WORK DOESN'T ASK FOR ATTENTION, IT STEALS IT
A BANANA ON A WALL IS STILL MORE HONEST THAN MOST
PEOPLE I'VE MET
THE MORE YOU POLISH AN IDEA, THE LESS IT CUTS
IF YOU CAN LIVE WITHOUT IT, IT WASN'T ART
CONCEPTUAL ART? ALL ART IS CONCEPTUAL IF YOU THINK LONG
ENOUGH
I TREAT EXHIBITIONS LIKE FUNERALS: SILENT, AWKWARD, AND
FULL OF FLOWERS
SUCCESS IS JUST FAILURE THAT FORGOT TO STOP
EVERY EXHIBITION SHOULD FEEL LIKE A CRIME SCENE
A GOOD ARTWORK SHOULD MAKE THE MUSEUM A LITTLE
NERVOUS
EVERY OBJECT IS A HOSTAGE OF ITS OWN INTERPRETATION
WHEN IN DOUBT, CARVE IT IN MARBLE
I NEVER TRUSTED THINGS THAT COME WITH A LABEL
THE MOST RADICAL GESTURE IS TO DO NOTHING AND MAKE
PEOPLE TALK ABOUT IT
THE LESS I EXPLAIN, THE MORE THEY WRITE

In addition to the Preis der Nationalgalerie, the BMW Group's long-term commitments in the capital include the Gallery Weekend Berlin, which celebrated its 21st edition in May 2025. Alongside its extensive engagement in the visual arts, BMW also collaborates with the Staatsoper Unter den Linden and annually invites audiences to the traditional open-air format, "State Opera for All" on Bebelplatz.

The BMW Group's cultural engagement, including exclusive updates and deeper insights into its worldwide cultural initiatives, can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Madrid/Munich. Navarran artist Amaya Suberviola has won the 40th Premio BMW de Pintura for her work "ST25061 (Coger una pestaña con los dedos)" (Catching an eyelash with your fingers). In the Digital Art category, the award went to Madrid-based Chino Moya for his audiovisual piece "Metapope".

With this edition, the Premio BMW de Pintura celebrates four decades of uninterrupted commitment to culture and artistic talent, consolidating its position as one of the most prestigious competitions in Europe. Since its creation in 1986, the award has advanced the careers of more than 29,000 artists, helping to strengthen the ties between business, art and society.

"Art is a driver of transformation in thinking, and culture is an essential tool for the development of societies," said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, during his speech. "Our support for art is not an isolated gesture, but a global commitment that seeks to build bridges between creativity, innovation and corporate citizenship."

For his part, Manuel Terroba, Executive President of the BMW Group for Spain and Portugal, emphasised that "having reached forty editions is living proof that art and innovation, tradition and modernity, can go hand in hand." He added that "the BMW Painting Prize has evolved with the times, opening up to new forms of expression such as digital art and becoming a showcase for diversity, innovation and excellence."

A gala celebrating art 
The Teatro Real in Madrid was the venue for a gala presided over by Her Majesty Queen Sofía, at which more than 1,300 guests from the cultural, artistic and social spheres celebrated the 40th anniversary of this award. The BMW Group paid an emotional tribute to Her Majesty for her constant support of culture and the arts, as well as her commitment to social and humanitarian causes.

The BMW Group also paid tribute to Her Royal Highness Princess Irene of Greece, whose work at the helm of the Mundo en Armonía Foundation began at the same time as the Premio BMW de Pintura was created, in a clear commitment to bringing together art, culture and solidarity with the most disadvantaged.

In the same vein, and following the cessation of the Mundo en Armonía Foundation's activities last year, the BMW Group will donate the proceeds from the 40th Premio BMW de Pintura Gala to the Food Bank, with the aim of alleviating the vulnerability experienced by children.

Forty years of culture: a journey through Spanish creativity
Actor and BMW ambassador Álex González hosted the gala and, from the stage, highlighted the cultural significance of this anniversary:
"Forty years of Spanish history, of the evolution of our habits, our customs and our ways of seeing, living and creating. Because culture is not a luxury: it is a necessity. It is the soul of a people. It is what unites us when everything seems to divide us," he said.

Under this premise, the gala featured a musical show with the participation of the RTVE Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Salvador Vázquez, together with the Dúo del Valle, Antonio Najarro and José Mercé, who took an emotional journey through Spanish creation over the last four decades, from Falla to Manuel Alejandro, culminating in a performance of "Se nos rompió el amor" in tribute to Rocío Jurado.

The artist Alaska, responsible for one of the most acclaimed performances of the night, recalled her experiences and the cultural effervescence of 1980s Spain, the era in which the award was born, and defended the value of creativity as a hallmark of identity: "La Movida did not end in the 1980s. It is revived every time an artist dares to challenge the status quo, and every time Spain reinvents itself. Because creativity here is not taught, it is breathed," she said.

Art as a universal language
This year's jury — made up of Antonio López, Miguel Zugaza, Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Guillermo Solana and Lucía Casani — selected the winners from among almost 2,000 artists of 38 nationalities, consolidating the Premio BMW de Pintura as a window onto the world and creative diversity.

The finalists in the painting category were José Ramón Amondarain Ubarrechena, Taxio Ardanaz Ruiz, Igor Arrieta Varela, Marta Beltrán Ferrer, Cristina Mejías Gómez, Simón Sepúlveda Braithwaite, and An Wei Lu Li.

In digital art, the finalists were Juan Carlos Bracho Jiménez, Amaya Hernández Sigüenza and Elisa Villota Sádaba.

Exhibition at Conde Duque
All the finalists' works from the 40th edition will be on display for the first time at the Conde Duque Cultural Centre in Madrid from 20 November 2025 to the end of January 2026.

Throughout its 40-year history, the BMW Painting Award has recognised artists such as Florencio Maíllo, Rafa Macarrón, Ángeles Agrela, Miki Leal, Santiago Ydáñez, Sonia Navarro and Damaris Pan, who have found in this competition a decisive boost to their careers. Forty years later, the award continues to be a celebration of talent, creativity, and the transformative power of art.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Munich/Paris. On the occasion of this new edition of Paris Photo at the Grand Palais, BMW France unveils the exhibition “Crossing the Missing Fragment”, by artist Raphaëlle Peria and curator Fanny Robin, the duo laureates of the BMW ART MAKERS mentoring programme.

A partnership backed by a shared vision for the future of culture.
For more than 50 years, BMW has affirmed its lasting commitment to culture, convinced that artists are trailblazers who can anticipate and reveal the major issues of their era. Supporting creation means supporting those who shape tomorrow’s perspectives.

For 23 years, this role has been notably expressed through this partnership with Paris Photo. By supporting the international photographic and artistic scene, BMW provides decisive visibility to emerging talents. Many artists supported by the programme have since achieved major recognition, confirming the strength and relevance of this commitment.

This ongoing dialogue between artistic innovation, society, and business reflects a shared desire: to embed culture for the long term and make it accessible to all, both today and for future generations.

“Together, we make culture shine today and for future generations, by valuing its longevity in a world where everything speeds up,” says Vincent Salimon, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW Group France.

“Crossing the Missing Fragment” reinvented for Paris Photo.
“Trees are living beings that carry our memory; they are the guardians of our secrets.” Raphaëlle Peria.

The second part of the exhibition, created by the duo laureates of the BMW ART MAKERS programme, is presented in November under the Grand Palais’s dome in Paris. First unveiled this summer at the 56th edition of the Rencontres d’Arles, at the Cloître Saint-Trophime, the exhibition has been reinvented for Paris Photo and enriched with approximately ten new works. For the occasion, the set design has been entirely rethought and specially conceived to enhance this new chapter.

Fanny Robin, the curator, thus presents the project as follows: “Embarking on the journey at the heart of the exhibition Crossing the Missing Fragment is to retrace the thread of water and time. Through this project, Raphaëlle Peria offers us an intimate archaeology of the image, where personal memory engages in dialogue with the universal.

After its initial presentation at the Rencontres d’Arles, this second part of the exhibition conceived for Paris Photo is unveiled as an even more immersive traverse of the landscape. With a renewed scenography designed as a space of resonance that interacts transparently with the Grand Palais’s glass roof, the exhibition takes on a decidedly different form. A series of new works, created specifically for the occasion, subtly resonates with the venue’s architecture .

At the pinnacle of this installation, a copper wallpaper with ardent reflections envelops the space like a fresco-palimpsest, blurring the lines between archival images and representations of a present environment. Through this revised approach, new sensitive strata unfold within the space, bearing witness to the uniqueness of Raphaëlle Peria’s gaze and singular gesture.

The project begins with the discovery of an exhumed photo album, a relic from a childhood journey aboard a barge, initiating this new creation. Family archives, long buried, revive fragmentary memories and become the foundation of an exploration where memories confront the evolution of the landscape. Thirty years later, Raphaëlle Peria returns to the places once crossed. She finds a nature in peril: the plane trees along the Canal du Midi, rotting from within due to the colored canker, now embody a slow disappearance. Confronted with this silent erosion, the artist tirelessly scratches the surface of images, revealing through subtraction the imprint of passing time. With complete transparency, she translates the fragility of life through the very material of photography.”

The BMW ART MAKERS programme brings together and supports an emerging visual artist and a curator in the creation of a collaborative artistic project.

The laureate duo, composed of an artist and a curator, receives a grant of 33,000 euros which covers the scholarship as well as the research and production budget for the works. The project is presented each year at the Rencontres d'Arles and then at Paris Photo, of which BMW is an official partner.

Practical information
Exhibition “Crossing the Missing Fragment”
by Raphaëlle Peria and Fanny Robin
Paris Photo - Stand C01 Grand Palais
from November 13 to 16, 2025

Biographies of the BMW ART MAKERS 2025 Laureates.

Raphaëlle Peria, Artist 
Graduated in 2014 from the École Européenne Supérieure d’Art de Bretagne. In 2015, she was a finalist for the Bourse Révélations Emerige and in 2017 she held her first solo exhibition at Galerie Papillon, Paris. In 2019 she was a resident artist at Château Blanc in Flixecourt, culminating in the solo exhibition Narcissus in flores. In 2021, she participated in the Blooming exhibition organized at Domaine Pommery in Reims. In 2022, she took part in the exhibition Singularités plurielles: Azul Andrea, Eva Jospin, Raphaëlle Peria, Christelle Téa at Chapelle de la Visitation – Espace d’art contemporain, Thonon-les-Bains. In 2024, she presented her solo exhibition Dérives de nos rêves informulés at Fondation Bullukian, Lyon. Her work is part of public and private collections: Frac Picardie, Musée des Beaux-Arts La Cohue, Fondation Thalie (BE). She is currently a resident at Villa Velasquez in Madrid.

Fanny Robin, Curator
Fanny Robin is an art critic, artistic director of Fondation Bullukian in Lyon, and an independent exhibition curator. In 2018, she founded the Campagne Première festival, which raises awareness of contemporary art and heritage enhancement in rural areas, notably through artist residencies and exhibitions where residents and local stakeholders are invited to participate in cultural projects. Fanny Robin develops a committed curatorial and critical approach focused on issues of transmission and relationships. She is particularly interested in artists who draw from the past (historical context, traditional gestures and techniques, popular traditions, and tangible and intangible heritage) to question current events and our changing society.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

London/Munich. From October 15 to 19, Frieze London and Frieze Masters will return to London’s Regent’s Park. As one of Frieze’s long-standing global partners since 2004, BMW honours the artistic work of David Hockney as part of the BMW Art Car World Tour and provides VIP shuttle service. Frieze London 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.

The iconic Art Car #14, designed by David Hockney 30 years ago, will be on display in The Lobby of The Peninsula London from October 14 to November 3. During the “Peninsula Classic Car Afternoon Tea” which runs through November 18 there will be a special opportunity to engage with Hockney’s Art Car: BMW representatives will dive deep into the origins and lead through the journey of Hockney’s Art Car design on October 14 and 15. Sculptural culinary delights will be served to bring together the British tea tradition and the BMW Art Cars’ golden jubilee. The final days of the exhibition coincide with RM Sotheby’s Classic Car auction presented in partnership with the Royal Automobile Club which brings a selection of significant automobiles– from historic treasures to modern collectibles – to The Peninsula.

David Hockney’s BMW 850CSi puts a new spin on the traditional idea of a car’s paintwork by effectively turning the car inside out. “I thought it would be a good idea to show the car as if one could see inside,” he said. Like an X-ray, Hockney’s design reveals the anatomy of the car and its occupants: the door sports an outline of the driver, and Hockney’s loyal dachshund, Stanley, can be seen sitting on the back seat, referencing the artist’s love of his dogs. Stylised engine components are depicted on the bonnet, while expanses of green sweep across the body – a visual metaphor for the passing scenery, movement, and time. Hockney’s visual language melds the car’s interior and the outside world to create a new and unusual perspective on motoring.

Born in Bradford, England, in 1937, David Hockney has been one of the most flamboyant and influential protagonists on the international art scene since the early 1960s. He graduated from the Royal College of Art in 1962 and soon joined the exclusive circles of Swinging Sixties London. He established his style as his very own form of international Pop Art and achieved great popularity with it. His works – among them iconic images depicting swimming pools and Californian landscapes – illustrate his lifelong fascination with light, colour, and the relationship between perspective and movement. David Hockney’s Art Car was intended solely as an exhibition piece and has never been driven on the road or in a race.

The BMW Art Car World Tour charts an ambitious course, with stops at prestigious destinations such as Art Basel Hong Kong, the Le Mans Classic in France, Belgium’s Zoute Grand Prix, the Shanghai Motor Show in China, and Italy’s Concorso d’Eleganza, among others. Showcasing the collection of 20 iconic BMW Art Cars, the tour serves as a testament to the company’s deep-rooted commitment to global cultural engagement – spanning more than a hundred initiatives across contemporary art, music, film, and design. Follow the journey here.

BMW Art Car #14 by David Hockney
October 14-November 3
The Peninsula London,
1 Grosvenor Pl,
London SW1X 7HJ,
United Kingdom

The Peninsula London Classic Car Afternoon Tea is offered daily until November 18 from 1.00 – 6.30pm reservations can be made here.

Dedicated media slots on October 14 and 15 from 1.00 – 3.00pm can be requested here. Capacity is limited, first come first served.

Frieze London Dates
Wednesday, October 15: 11am - 7pm (invitation only)
Thursday, October 16: 11am – 1pm (Members and Invitation only preview) 1pm – 5pm General admission tickets
Friday, October 17: 11am - 7pm 
Saturday, October 18: 11am - 7pm
Sunday, October 19: 11am – 6pm

Media Accreditation

The exhibition came to life in dialogue with CART Department, an emerging platform that celebrates the intersection of art and car culture developed by Larry Warsh.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Knokke-Heist. The BMW Art Car World Tour arrives in Belgium at the Zoute Grand Prix, celebrating five decades of artistic innovation. From New York to Istanbul, and from Hong Kong to Knokke-Heist, the tour connects cultures through a shared fascination for creativity and speed. Visitors will have the opportunity to admire iconic BMW Art Cars set against the backdrop of the Zoute Grand Prix (8-12 October 2025), an event renowned for celebrating automotive heritage, design elegance, and the timeless beauty of classic automobiles. The unique convergence of art and motoring provides a rare chance for the public to witness the seamless fusion of engineering and creative vision into a truly singular experience.

The presence of BMW Art Cars in Belgium highlights the global impact of the BMW Art Car initiative and its ability to connect diverse audiences through bold and compelling visual storytelling. By pairing the Art Car exhibition with the Zoute Grand Prix, BMW and the event organisers foster a dialogue between the timeless romance of classic cars and the ever-evolving language of contemporary art. This juxtaposition invites reflection on the intersection of movement, form, and identity— and how design continues to bring life into heritage.

The BMW Art Cars arriving in Belgium have travelled from across the world, including Julie Mehretu BMW M Hybrid V8, which was recently exhibited in New York and Istanbul. It joins masterpieces by Alexander Calder, Frank Stella, Robert Rauschenberg, Matazo Kayama, Cesar Manrique, Esther Mahlangu, David Hockney, and Jeff Koons for this very special public presentation.

Another milestone is that 2025 marks the centenary of Robert Rauschenberg’s birth, offering a unique opportunity to celebrate the achievements of this pioneering American artist. This occasion will be commemorated with a year-long programme of international exhibitions and events. These will highlight his enduring influence on subsequent generations of artists and his dedication to social progress.

The the Zoute Grand Prix. 
Held annually in Knokke-Heist, the Zoute Grand Prix is one of Europe’s most prestigious automotive events, where heritage, design, and innovation come together. The gathering unites collectors, enthusiasts, and creators to celebrate automotive culture.

For more information, please visit:
https://www.zoutegrandprix.be/en 

Celebrating 50 Years: The BMW Art Car Collection.
The BMW Art Car initiative came from French racing driver and art dealer Hervé Poulain, who, together with then BMW Head of Motorsport Jochen Neerpasch, asked his artist friend Alexander Calder to paint a car. The result was a completely reimagined BMW 3.0 CSL, which went on to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1975 and became a crowd favorite. In the years that followed, art icons like Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Esther Mahlangu, David Hockney, Jenny Holzer, Jeff Koons, and Julie Mehretu have enriched the collection, each in their own individual style.

The BMW vehicles that have been turned into works of art using a wide variety of graphic and artistic techniques are as different as the artists themselves – from pure racing thoroughbreds to production vehicles and rare sports cars. The results are all vastly different. No two vehicles are alike. BMW Art Car artists are selected by an independent worldwide jury of museum directors and curators, and the artist always maintains complete creative freedom throughout the entire process.

BMW Group’s global cultural engagement and updates on the Art Car World Tour can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Milan. In the heart of the Abruzzo National Park, “Stasis” – the new installation by Velasco Vitali for ARTEPARCO – has been unveiled. The project, which for the past eight years has been transforming nature into an open-air museum, introduces many innovations in its 2025 edition, including an interactive web app and a short film resulting from the collaboration between BMW Group Italia, Main Partner of the initiative, and Scuola Holden.

ARTEPARCO is an initiative launched in 2018 that highlights the unique landscape of the Abruzzo National Park, Lazio e Molise through contemporary art interventions. It also celebrates the synergy between culture and environmental sustainability.

BMW Italia has reaffirmed its commitment to this project through 2025, supporting its evolution into a true open-air museum that guides visitors in discovering artworks situated within the heart of the Park. Recognized for its dedication to territorial enhancement, the initiative benefits from the Patronage of the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security.

Starting from Pescasseroli (AQ), visitors can explore the Park’s trails, C1 and C2, and encounter works by artists with diverse stylistic backgrounds who have engaged with this pristine environment over the years, including Marcantonio, Matteo Fato, Alessandro Pavone, Sissi, Valerio Berruti, Accademia di Aracne, and megx.

On July 18th, the eighth edition of ARTEPARCO was unveiled, featuring Velasco Vitali’s “Stasis” (born in Bellano, 1960), a prominent figure in contemporary Italian art. Inspired by the Ancient Beech Forests, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the artist created a piece that pays homage to the Park’s fauna. The artwork transforms a raw oak trunk into a natural column, crowned by a depiction of an Apennine wolf—symbolizing nature and serving as a metaphor for modern society, which is still on a journey of discovery.

Conceived by Abruzzese entrepreneur and communicator Paride Vitale, ARTEPARCO has become a well-established event in contemporary art, with aspirations to evolve into an open museum without walls.   

The initiative is promoted by BMW Italia within the framework of Corporate Citizenship, under the campaign "SpecialMente #Drivenbypeople," aiming to build a robust cultural and sustainable network.

In 2025, the program introduced innovative features for visitors, including a web app accessible via arteparco.com. This digital platform allows users to explore the Park’s route and artworks through an interactive map and specially designed audio guides narrated by Victoria Cabello – Italian - British actress and television presenter – and Paride Vitale.

Furthering its commitment to storytelling and social responsibility, BMW Italia partnered with the Scuola Holden to produce a documentary capturing the key moments of the “Stasis” installation.

A young team from the Scuola produced an evocative long-form video that explores the main themes of the 2025 edition. This includes insights into the project's inception and the dialogue between the artist and the Park’s collaborators involved in integrating the artwork among the beech trees along the trail. The film, available on BMW Italia’s Specialmente.bmw.it website and on arteparco.com, presents the interpretation of the project through a dedicated and unique viewpoint.

In addition to the long video, the SpecialMente website features five other episodic videos that highlight the individuals involved with the Park—those who, every day, contribute with pride to its preservation and conservation. These stories are shared through communication videos published on the BMW Group Italia LinkedIn channel, showcasing the diverse efforts supporting the Park’s safeguarding.

Velasco Vitali “Stasis”
Inspired by the Ancient Beech Forests—designated as a UNESCO World Heritage SiteVin 2017—Vitali’s "Stasis" pays tribute to the Park’s wildlife. The piece references stylites, ascetics from antiquity who lived atop columns or pillars in prayer and spiritual elevation. It reflects on the concept of balance, intertwining physical and contemplative dimensions, and is connected to the artist’s "Torre" series, created between 2005 and 2010.

The artwork features a semi-worked, raw oak trunk transformed into a natural column, topped with an acanthus leaf-capital. At its summit stands an Apennine wolf, embodying the wildness of nature and serving as a metaphor for contemporary society’s ongoing quest for awareness and understanding. Vitali describes his vision: “For the Ancient Beech Forests of the Park, I envisioned a symbolic sculpture as a starting point for a journey where each individual leaves their mark, testifying to their bond with the land. It’s an invitation to craft a ‘geography of the mind,’ composed of connections, exchanges, and awareness of our existence.”

Elements of the sculpture, cast in aluminum at the historic Fonderia Artistica Battaglia in Milan, are designed to age naturally, with a patina that will develop an elegant patina over time, allowing the environment to further enhance Vitali’s work.

Positioned discreetly within a secluded clearing at the end of a Park trail, "Stasis" harmoniously integrates into the landscape, exemplifying a meaningful synthesis of art and nature.

The BMW Group's cultural engagement, including exclusive updates and deeper insights into its worldwide cultural initiatives, can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Istanbul/Munich. Contemporary Istanbul, Türkiye’s leading international art fair, will celebrate its 20th edition from 24–28 September 2025 at Tersane Istanbul. The 2025 edition reflects two decades of growth for the fair, which has become a vital meeting point for collectors, artists, and institutions from across the region and beyond. This year’s fair programme includes a curated selection of galleries from around the world and landmark institutional collaborations. As part of the BMW Art Car World Tour, the very first BMW Art Car, designed by Alexander Calder, and the latest addition to the collection by Julie Mehretu #20 will be exhibited on the ground.

Contemporary Istanbul 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. With Istanbul now joining the ranks of world capitals and premier cultural gatherings, the city cements its status as a vital hub in the international art landscape. The exhibited Art Cars will be shown side by side for the first time in Türkiye at the BMW Lounge in the partner section of Contemporary Istanbul and reflect the breadth and diversity of the BMW Art Car Collection. A dedicated BMW Art Talk as part of the fair’s CIF Dialogues featuring Head of BMW Group Cultural Engagement Thomas Girst will dive deep into the history and individual anecdotes of the 20 rolling sculptures.

Alexander Calder’s BMW 3.0 CSL laid the foundation for the iconic series when French racing driver and art dealer Hervé Poulain, together with then BMW Head of Motorsport Jochen Neerpasch, asked his artist friend Calder to paint a car. The completely reimagined 3.0 CSL patterned in red, yellow, blue, and white went on to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1975 and became a crowd favorite. Alexander Calder (1898-1976) was an American sculptor and artist and is regarded as one of the most influential exponents of Classical Modernism. He began his career as an engineer before turning to art. His most famous works are his mobiles – light, free-moving sculptures that are set in motion by air currents or electric motors – and his static, often-monumental metal sculptures known as "stabiles".

The Ethiopian born, New York based abstract painter Julie Mehretu created the latest and 20th car in the collection from a BMW M Hybrid V8 in 2024 where it premiered at the Centre Pompidou in Paris and hit the racetrack at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Space, movement, and energy have always been central motifs in Mehretu's work. For her Art Car design she transformed a two-dimensional image into a three-dimensional representation, with which she succeeded in bringing dynamism into form. Mehretu used the color and form vocabulary of her monumental painting “Everywhen” (2021-2023) as a starting point for her design. Its abstract visual form results from digitally altered photographs, which are superimposed in several layers of dot grids, neon-colored veils, and the black markings characteristic of Mehretu's work.

The BMW Art Car World Tour charts an ambitious course, with stops at prestigious destinations such as Art Basel Hong Kong, Le Mans Classic in France, Belgium’s Zoute Grand Prix, the Shanghai Motor Show in China, and Italy’s Concorso d’Eleganza, among others. Showcasing the collection of 20 iconic BMW Art Cars, the tour serves as a testament to the company’s deep-rooted commitment to global cultural engagement—spanning more than a hundred initiatives across contemporary art, music, film, and design.

Contemporary Istanbul 2025 highlights and institutional collaborations
Contemporary Istanbul’s 20th fair edition also deepens its engagement with leading museums and art organisations worldwide. Special presentations will include contributions from the UBS Digital Art Museum (Hamburg), Sigg Art Foundation (Le Castellet), and others, underlining the fair’s commitment to international dialogue.

CI 20 focus: America
The fair’s curated Focus Section this year will spotlight the contemporary art scene in the United States, with a particular emphasis on New York. Titled Focus America, the programme will explore the country’s role in shaping global cultural narratives and foster new connections among artists, curators, and collectors. Institutional leaders from major US museums will take part in a series of panels, exhibitions, and networking events.

CIF Dialogues: “Dispersing Coordinates”
CIF’s annual conference, “Dialogues”, returns this year under the theme “Dispersing Coordinates: Istanbul and the Shifting Map of Art.” The programme will reflect on global cultural shifts and Istanbul’s evolving position in the art world. Confirmed speakers include Jennifer Stockman (Honorary President, Guggenheim Museum), and Anne Pasternak (Director, Brooklyn Museum).

For more information and press accreditation:
www.contemporaryistanbul.com

Contemporary Istanbul Dates
24 September: Preview
25 – 28 September: General Admission
BMW Lounge presence at Rixos Tersane Partner Section
BMW Art Talk at CIF Dialogues, 24 September at 3:30pm

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Munich/Berlin. The BMW Group congratulates the Preis der Nationalgalerie on its 25th anniversary. Since its establishment in 2000, the award has recognised artistic positions that significantly shape contemporary art and has presented them to a wide audience in Berlin. BMW has been the exclusive partner of this unique initiative since 2006. To mark the anniversary year, BMW is bringing another highlight to Berlin: as part of the BMW Art Car World Tour, the 19th BMW Art Car, designed by John Baldessari, is displayed on the terrace of the Neue Nationalgalerie. With this world tour, BMW is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Cars this year and next. Back in 2021, BMW, together with the Calder Foundation, showcased the "Artist’s Proof" of the first BMW Art Car by Alexander Calder on the same terrace.

The Preis der Nationalgalerie will remain adaptable in the future and will continue in a new format at the Neue Nationalgalerie from 2026. From then on, solo exhibitions will honour artists who set international standards and whose work has not yet been comprehensively shown in Berlin. With the change of venue, contemporary art will engage in dialogue with the collection and history of the Neue Nationalgalerie. The iconic upper hall of the Mies van der Rohe building provides the ideal setting for a powerful artistic statement. This is made possible by a dedicated budget funded by the Freunde der Nationalgalerie and BMW.

"The Preis der Nationalgalerie was established at a time when contemporary art in Berlin received significantly less support. Today, Berlin is one of the most important centres for the production and presentation of contemporary art. With the move to the Neue Nationalgalerie, we aim to showcase artists whose work has shaped Berlin and who also possess international appeal. The goal is to place their works in dialogue with the architecture of the Mies van der Rohe building, thereby creating a connection between the collection, art history, and contemporary art," says Klaus Biesenbach, Director of the Neue Nationalgalerie.

"We are very proud that the Preis der Nationalgalerie has developed over the past 25 years into one of the most important art awards, and that all its laureates have been able to provide key impulses with their work, both nationally and internationally. The award has always been distinguished by its ability to respond positively to changes in the interests of the museum, the artists, and the audience. This has not only maintained but increased its relevance over the decades. We look forward to the next stage of its development," says Christian Kohorst, Chairman of the Freunde der Nationalgalerie.

The prize winner will be announced at the end of October 2025. The exhibition will open in September 2026 during Berlin Art Week. Further information about the Preis der Nationalgalerie is available here.

The expert jury for the 2026 Preis der Nationalgalerie consists of international directors: Emma Lavigne (Director of the Pinault Collection, Paris), Sam Keller (Director of the Fondation Beyeler, Riehen), and Klaus Biesenbach (Director of the Neue Nationalgalerie). Eligible to nominate were not only the jury members but also the curators of the Nationalgalerie as well as the members of the Freunde der Nationalgalerie.

"The internationally renowned Preis der Nationalgalerie has, for 25 years, demonstrated how art can shape social debates and open up new perspectives.  It stands for innovation, creativity, and cultural diversity – values that are deeply rooted in the BMW Group. Together with our partners, we are delighted that art can unfold its impact far beyond the museum space," says Alexander Bilgeri, Vice President Corporate Communications. BMW Group.

The presentation of John Baldessari's 19th BMW Art Car on the terrace of the Neue Nationalgalerie is part of the BMW Art Car World Tour, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the legendary collection. With this largest exhibition project in the history of the BMW Art Cars, all 20 vehicles will be shown worldwide in leading museums and institutions. The series, which began in 1975 with Alexander Calder, continues to unite outstanding artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Jenny Holzer, David Hockney, Jeff Koons, Esther Mahlangu, Olafur Eliasson, Cao Fei, and Julie Mehretu. For five decades, the BMW Art Cars have combined art and design, technology and innovation, motorsport and engineering – embodying the essence of the BMW Group's global cultural engagement, which includes over 100 initiatives in contemporary art, music, film, and design.

The BMW Art Car designed by John Baldessari (1931–2020) is considered one of the most distinctive works in the series. Known for his coloured dots and shapes, the Californian artist aimed to create a "typical Baldessari" and simultaneously crafted an icon of motorsport. A large red dot on the roof ensures perfect visibility on the track. The word "FAST" on the driver's side serves as an energetic reminder of the essence of racing. On the passenger side, the vehicle itself is depicted – a tribute to the designers. This minimalist vehicle was the first Art Car to compete in a race without sponsor logos and the third – after Roy Lichtenstein (1977) and Andy Warhol (1979) – to successfully cross the finish line of a 24-hour race.

In 2021, BMW, together with the Calder Foundation, presented the "Artist’s Proof" of the first BMW Art Car by Alexander Calder on the terrace of the Neue Nationalgalerie. The occasion was the opening of the exhibition "Alexander Calder: Minimal / Maximal," which marked the museum's reopening after extensive renovations. With the presentations of Calder and now Baldessari, BMW bridges the origins of the Art Car history to the present. Further information about the presentation of the Artist’s Proof is available here.

In addition to the Preis der Nationalgalerie, the BMW Group's long-term commitments in the capital include the Gallery Weekend Berlin, which celebrated its 21st edition in May 2025. Alongside its extensive engagement in the visual arts, BMW also collaborates with the Staatsoper Unter den Linden and annually invites audiences to the traditional open-air format "State Opera for All" on Bebelplatz.

The BMW Group's cultural engagement, including exclusive updates and deeper insights into its worldwide cultural initiatives, can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

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.

www.bmwgroup.com

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Paris/Munich. In 2026, Rétromobile, one of the world’s most prestigious automotive shows for the classic car sector, will celebrate its 50th anniversary. So does BMW’s collection of the legendary Art Cars. To mark this milestone, BMW is bringing together all BMW Art Cars that have raced in Le Mans for a spectacular reunion in Paris. From Alexander Calder’s groundbreaking debut in 1975 to Julie Mehretu’s sleek masterpiece in 2024, the BMW Art Cars that dared to race will return to the spotlight at Rétromobile 2026 – not on the track, but in all their glory.

BMW Art Cars on display at Rétromobile in Paris:

• #1 I Alexander Calder, BMW 3.0 CSL (1975) 
• # 2 I Frank Stella, BMW 3.0 CSL (1976) 
• #3 I Roy Lichtenstein, BMW 320i Turbo (1977) 
• #4 I Andy Warhol, BMW M1 (1979) 
• #15 I Jenny Holzer, BMW V12 LMR (1999) 
• #17 I Jeff Koons, BMW M3 GT2 (2010) 
• #20 I Julie Mehretu, BMW M Hybrid V8 (2024) 

“Bringing these Le Mans Art Cars together in Paris is more than a tribute,” says Helmut Kaes, Head of BMW Group Classic. “It’s a statement: about courage, about creativity, and about the power of radical ideas that keep moving — even 50 years on.”

50 years of “rolling sculptures”: The BMW Art Car World Tour.
The Paris exhibition is part of the BMW Art Car World Tour, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Car Collection. Since the global kick-off in March 2025, the world tour has featured an ambitious exhibition programme on all five continents, engaging over 20 markets. The tour brings together art, innovation, and mobility in a celebration of bold vision. It will continue until the end of 2026 and will make additional stops in Belgium (Brussels, Zoute Grand Prix), Morocco (Marrakech), South Africa, the United States (Pebble Beach), Turkey (Contemporary Istanbul), and Italy (Milan, ADI Design Museum). 

Since 1975, renowned artists from around the world have created BMW Art Cars. The idea was born when French racing driver and art enthusiast Hervé Poulain, together with Jochen Neerpasch, then Head of Motorsport at BMW, invited friend and artist Alexander Calder to paint a race car. The result – a vibrant BMW 3.0 CSL – competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1975, captivating the crowd and making history. 

Over the decades, the collection has grown to include visionary works by Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Esther Mahlangu, David Hockney, Jenny Holzer, Ólafur Elíasson, and many others. More recently, John Baldessari and Cao Fei used the BMW M6 GTLM and M6 GT3 respectively for dynamic entries at Daytona (2016) and Macau (2017). The BMW Art Cars by Jeff Koons and Julie Mehretu returned to Le Mans in 2010 and 2024. 

“What better theme than Art Cars to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Rétromobile show? We are very excited and delighted to unveil today both the official poster for the 2026 edition of the show and the official exhibition that will bring together these seven automotive masterpieces for the first time in France. I would like to warmly thank our friends at BMW for their trust and partnership in this fantastic human, technical and artistic adventure that is the BMW Art Cars collection,” says Romain Grabowski, director of Rétromobile.

Rétromobile 2026: a highly anticipated edition dedicated to art.
Founded in 1976, Rétromobile is celebrating its 50th anniversary. To mark this milestone, the event organisers have gone all out: the first-ever edition in New York from 19 to 22 November 2026, a brand-new event dedicated to the phenomenon of modern supercars, the "Ultimate Supercar Garage," co-located with Rétromobile Paris. Above all, four exclusive exhibitions await visitors at the Parc des Expositions at Porte de Versailles. Among them, the first will spotlight an international artistic and mechanical phenomenon: the BMW Art Cars.

Practical Information
Place: Paris Expo Porte de Versailles
Public Days: 28 January – 1 February 2026 

Follow The BMW Group’s Cultural Engagement for exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives on Instagram: @BMWGroupCulture

Goodwood/Munich. The 2025 Goodwood Revival (12-14 September) will showcase five rolling sculptures of the legendary BMW Art Car series as part of the event’s Earls Court Motor Show. For the past 50 years, the BMW Art Car Collection has continued to evolve and features designs by some of the world’s most renowned artists, including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jeff Koons, and David Hockney.

Since 1975, the BMW Group has provided artists with a playground for their fascination with automobiles through the BMW Art Cars: art and design, technology and innovation, racing and engineering. The collection of 20 BMW Art Cars now forms the essence of the global cultural engagement with over a hundred initiatives in the fields of contemporary art, music, film and design. Since its invention almost 140 years ago, artists around the world have engaged with the automobile in both critical and euphoric ways.

The exhibition at Goodwood Revival is part of the ongoing BMW Art Car World Tour, which celebrates the 50th aniversary of the collection by showcasing the legendary BMW Art Cars across various art and automotive platforms worldwide. The following five cars will be making a stop at the Revival Event:

1976 I Frank Stella BMW 3.0 CSL 
Known for its participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the original BMW 3.0 CSL was reimagined by artist Frank Stella. As the second vehicle in the BMW Art Cars collection, Stella’s design was inspired by the technical basis of the car itself. The result was a striking composition of black and white lines, with the powerful 750 hp engine front and centre of the design.

1977 I Roy Lichtenstein BMW 320i Turbo 
Just one year later, pop artist Roy Lichtenstein brought his signature style to life by incorporating his recognisable “Ben Day dots” into the design of the BMW 320i Turbo. The original vehicle, which also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, was driven by the founder of the art car collection Hervé Poulain and Marcel Mignot.

1982 I Ernst Fuchs BMW 635 CSi 
Number five in the collection, the BMW 635 CSi was designed by Austrian artist Ernst Fuchs in 1982. Otherwise known as the “Fire Fox on a Hare Hunt”, Fuchs’ design was the first in the collection to be based on a production car, and varied from his earlier pieces of artwork.

1995 I David Hockney BMW 850 CSi 
David Hockney designed the 14th car in the collection: the BMW 850 CSi. The result of an extended design project, Hockney aimed to reveal the car’s inner workings and spirit through his art. His detailed paintwork includes the outline of a driver on the door, while attentive viewers will note a stylised suction vent on the button - subtle touches which invite you to look closer at the design.

2010 I Jeff Koons BMW M3 GT2 
American artist Jeff Koons brought a dynamic palette of vibrant, contrasting colours to his BMW M3 GT2. The 17th BMW Art Car saw the return of Pop Art and the creation of a design which captures the essence of power and motion - conveying a sense of speed and energy even when the car is stationary.

The unique collection of cars will be on display across the Goodwood Revival weekend in Earls Court, as part of the collection's ongoing world tour.

Saturday tickets for the Goodwood Revival are now sold out, with limited Friday and Sunday tickets remaining at goodwood.com

The Goodwood Revival 
Friday 12 – Sunday 14 September 2025.
Tickets & Hospitality
Tickets can be purchased at goodwood.com or by calling the Ticket Office on +44 (0)1243 755055.

BMW Group’s global cultural engagement and updates on the Art Car World Tour can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Seoul/Munich. BMW is partner of Frieze Seoul 2025: From 3 to 6 September, the art fair will bring 120 galleries from 30 countries to the COEX in the Gangnam district. Two anniversaries of the BMW Group will be celebrated with a multifaceted collaboration with renowned Korean artist Lee Kun-Yong: 30 years of BMW Korea and 50 years of the BMW Art Car Collection. Another highlight of this year's programme is the third edition of Frieze Music Seoul on 5 September, featuring a live performance by Korean RnB artist Crush, organised in collaboration with BMW. BMW will once again provide a shuttle service for VIP guests at the fair.

Lee Kun-Yong, born in 1942 in Sariwon (now North Korea), is considered one of Korea's most influential avant-garde artists. His thoughts on painting focus on the process, and the figurative becomes a medium through the performative use of Lee's body. His iconic ‘Bodyscape’ series consists of repetitive, precise gestures that depict the movement of the body in space on the canvas, creating abstract worlds from the artist's physical traces. Lee Kun-Yong was a co-founder of the experimental artist group ‘Space & Time,’ which developed into a core formation of the Korean avant-garde. He has expanded the boundaries of artistic expression through experiments with abstraction, performance, and the use of the human body as a medium and message.

For his collaboration with BMW, Lee Kun-Yong has designed a unique wrap for the fully electric BMW i7, which will be exhibited at Frieze Seoul. He has further developed his ‘Bodyscapes’ series for this purpose, transforming the vehicle into a mobile canvas that not only moves through space but also embodies it. Engaging with the design and technology of the BMW i7, Lee Kun-Yong's work reflects the precision and responsiveness inherent in the dialogue between driver and car, drawing parallels to his own artistic practice. By exploring the driving experience through various perspectives, he artfully creates a dynamic interplay of figurative and monochrome areas, evoking a sense of proximity and distance. "I firmly believe that art can be the bridge between different objects, different people and even different perspectives," says Lee Kun-Yong. "Through this new collaboration, I hope to create new encounters and connections through art, and I am excited to see how this link between art and technology will develop."

On 4 September at 1 p.m., Lee Kun-Yong will give one of his iconic live performances, creating one new canvas. Inspired by his work on the BMW i7, he translates his thoughts on mobility, time and space into physical expression: for him, movement is not just speed. It is perception, interaction with the environment and the intimate dialogue between body and machine.

In 2025, BMW celebrates 50 years of BMW Art Cars with a global exhibition programme and diverse artistic initiatives – the BMW Art Car World Tour. Since 1975, the BMW Group has provided artists with a playground for their fascination with automobiles through the BMW Art Cars: art and design, technology and innovation, racing and engineering. The collection of 20 BMW Art Cars now forms the essence of the global cultural engagement with over a hundred initiatives in the fields of contemporary art, music, film and design. Since its invention almost 140 years ago, artists around the world have engaged with the automobile in both critical and euphoric ways. The BMW Art Car series contributes significantly to this inspiring dialogue and is an anchor point for further unique artistic collaborations on vehicles, such as the one with Lee Kun-Yong. In addition to the BMW i7, miniatures of 18 BMW Art Cars from the collection are on display in the BMW Lounge as historical references.

The collaboration with Lee Kun-Yong is already the third large-scale artistic initiative at Frieze Seoul and testifies to BMW Korea's deep-rooted commitment to innovation, future orientation and emotional experiences. Since its foundation in 1995, the company has had a large presence in South Korea – including the Incheon Cheongna Development Centre and the Driving Centre on Yeongjong Island. South Korea is the BMW Group's fifth-largest market, and in 2023 and 2024, BMW ranked first among imported automotive brands. BMW Korea will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2025 with numerous events under the motto ‘Joy of Driving. Innovation for Tomorrow.’

Frieze Music
To celebrate their long-standing partnership, BMW and Frieze are jointly presenting another edition of Frieze Music in Seoul. Crush will perform on 5 September. Since releasing his debut single in 2012, he has established himself as one of Korea’s most innovative artists – a multi-talented performer and producer blending pop, R&B, and hip hop. Frieze Music explores the intersection between music and art to create a space for dialogue. Artists are given the opportunity to showcase their craft through song, creativity and exchange with other artists in a unique performance. The joint initiative between BMW and Frieze, which was launched during the first Frieze in Los Angeles in 2019, has already brought together a variety of musicians, including Moses Sumney, Caroline Polachek, Nilüfer Yanya and Loyle Carner.

Please note that an admission ticket is required to visit the BMW Lounge:

Artistically designed BMW i7 by Lee Kun-Yong 
3–6 September
BMW Lounge, Hall C
COEX, 513 Yeongdong-daero,
Gangnam-gu

Private View
Wednesday, 3 September: 2:00 pm
Followed by a champagne toast
(by invitation only)

Live performance by Lee Kun-Yong
Thursday, 4 September: 1:00 pm
Media accreditation and interview requests
(limited capacity)

Opening hours
Wednesday, 3 September: 11:00 am to 7:00 pm (by invitation only)
Thursday, 4 September: 11:00 am to 7:00 pm (by invitation and advance ticket only; open to the public from 3:00 pm)
Friday and Saturday, 5/6 September: 11:00 am to 7:00 pm

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

For half a century, BMW Art Cars have provided a creative platform for renowned artists from across the globe to express their vision on an automobile. The BMW Art Cars by American artists Andy Warhol and Julie Mehretu will be exhibited at this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The display at the concours in North America is part of the BMW Art Car World Tour which celebrates the iconic collection in its jubilee year around the globe from Vienna to Hong Kong and Shanghai, from Dubai to Marrakech and Milan. Julie Mehretu’s BMW Art Car will travel on to The Bridge.

Andy Warhol's BMW M1 Group 4 (#4, 1979)
Andy Warhol (1928–1987) is considered one of the most influential artists of the modern age and a major proponent of Pop Art. In just 28 minutes, Warhol covered the car – then the latest masterpiece by design legend Giorgio Giugiaro – in colours and textures that clearly reveal his artistic gestures, even today. Hervé Poulain, the founder of the BMW Art Car Collection, witnessed Warhol painting the car and compared it to a live dance performance. Andy Warhol’s Art Car was raced for the first and only time at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979.

Julie Mehretu's BMW M Hybrid V8 (#20, 2024)
Mixed media, print, painting: Julie Mehretu’s works comment on social and political upheavals. Born in 1970 in Addis Ababa and now living in New York, Mehretu is one of the most successful artistic voices of her generation. She 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). With BMW Art Car #20 now returning to the artist's homeland for the first time, the presentation at Pebble Beach marks its North American premiere.

At the 74th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (17 August 2025), the signature event of Monterey Car Week, art buffs and motorsport fans alike will be treated to a rare display of these two spectacular examples from BMW’s storied collection.

This year’s event serves as the perfect venue to celebrate two American-made masterpieces, as 2025 marks the 50th anniversaries of the BMW Art Car collection and BMW officially doing business in the USA. The ‘rolling sculpture’ by Julie Mehretu will then continue its journey to The Bridge in Bridgehampton, New York.

In 2016, Bob Rubin, Shamin Abas, and Jeffrey Einhorn founded The Bridge, one of the nation’s most exclusive annual automotive events, held by invitation only on the historic grounds of the original Bridgehampton Race Circuit. The event celebrates the site’s rich racing heritage, showcasing over 200 post-war sports and competition cars. This year, visitors can look forward to a special highlight on 13 September 2025: Julie Mehretu's BMW Art Car #20 will be on display alongside the McLaren Artura GT4 designed by American artist Mickalene Thomas. Inspired by the idea behind the BMW Art Car Collection, the Driven Artists Racing Team (DART Car)commissioned award-winning multidisciplinary artist Mickalene Thomas to design a custom wrap for their very first race car, the McLaren Artura GT4. The car made its official debut on February 18th at the Classic Car Club Manhattan in New York. The DART initiative was founded by entrepreneur Zoë Barry, art advisor Spring McManus, and professional racecar driver Aurora Straus. It aims to showcase the achievements of women in the traditionally male-dominated fields of art and motorsport.

As part of the presentation of BMW Art Car #20 by Julie Mehretu and Mickalene Thomas' custom-designed McLaren, an Art Talk with Julie Mehretu, entrepreneur Zoë Barry and Thomas Girst, Global Head of BMW Group Cultural Engagement, will take place on 13 September at 4pm. The conversation, moderated by art advisor Spring McManus, explores the innovative fusion of contemporary art and motorsports.

The BMW Art Car Collection.
The BMW Art Car initiative came from French racing driver and art dealer Hervé Poulain, who, together with then BMW Head of Motorsport Jochen Neerpasch, asked his artist friend Alexander Calder to paint a car. The result was a completely reimagined BMW 3.0 CSL, which went on to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1975 and became a crowd favorite. In the years that followed, art icons like Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Esther Mahlangu, David Hockney, Jenny Holzer, Jeff Koons, and Julie Mehretu have enriched the collection, each in their own individual style.

The BMW vehicles that have been turned into works of art using a wide variety of graphic and artistic techniques are as different as the artists themselves – from pure racing thoroughbreds to production vehicles and rare sports cars. The results are all vastly different. No two vehicles are alike. BMW Art Car artists are selected by an independent worldwide jury of museum directors and curators, and the artist always maintains complete creative freedom throughout the entire process.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

The Hague/Munich. On Thursday 3 July, the Louwman Museum opened the “Fine Art on Wheels” exhibition, featuring a remarkable collection of eight iconic BMW Art Cars. This unique exhibition, which is only on display for two months, offers a rare opportunity to discover these masterpieces, designed by internationally renowned artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, and Esther Mahlangu. The exhibition will run from July 4 to August 31, 2025.

The selected cars illustrate the unique fusion of art, motorsport, and design that has characterized the BMW Art Car Collection since 1975. For this anniversary edition, the Louwman Museum has chosen eight examples that together form a journey through modern art history on four wheels:

• Alexander Calder: BMW 3.0 CSL (1975)
• Frank Stella: BMW 3.0 CSL (1976)
• Roy Lichtenstein: BMW 320 Group 5 (1977)
• Andy Warhol: BMW M1 Group 4 (1979)
• César Manrique: BMW 730i (1990)
• Esther Mahlangu: BMW 525i (1991)
• David Hockney: BMW 850 CSi (1995)
• Jeff Koons: BMW M3 GT2 (2010)

Ronald Kooyman, Managing Director of the Louwman Museum: “We are incredibly proud to have eight iconic rolling sculptures temporarily on display at the Louwman Museum, contributing to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Cars. This special exhibition brings together art and automotive culture in a truly unique and inspiring way.”

The exhibition at the Louwman Museum is part of the ongoing BMW Art Car World Tour, which showcases the legendary BMW Art Cars across various art and automotive platforms worldwide. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the collection, this tour not only highlights the artistic brilliance of the collection but also emphasizes the innovative spirit of BMW as it continues to merge art with automotive excellence.

The Art Car World Tour schedule is still evolving and will continue through most of 2026. Further stops and venues are planned, including Belgium France, Le Mans, Classic, Brussels, Zoute Gran Prix, Turkey, Contemporary Instanbul – and many others.

Practical Information
The exhibition will be on display from July 4 to August 31, 2025, at the Louwman Museum in The Hague. Due to expected high attendance, the museum will be open seven days a week during this period.

For more information, please visit: www.louwmanmuseum.nl/pers-fine-art-on-wheels

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Le Mans/Munich. This edition of Le Mans Classic marks a historic occasion with the return of the first ##BMW Art Car## by ##Alexander Calder##, in its Artist's Proof version, initiated by the Calder Foundation and BMW Group Classic, to the track where it all began 50 years ago. Hervé Poulain, the visionary behind the BMW Art Cars, and Alexander SC Rower, Calder's grandson, will take a ceremonial lap in this automotive artwork on Sunday, July 6, from 9:45 to 10:25am, during the BMW parade. This event pays vibrant tribute to the originality of the project, where art meets automotive, perpetuating a tradition that has lasted for half a century.

As a long-standing partner of Le Mans Classic, BMW celebrates this year the double anniversary of its iconic BMW Art Cars and the BMW 3 Series. Taking place from 4 to 6 July, Le Mans Classic brings together classic and vintage racing cars on the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit, creating a strong link between historical heritage and contemporary innovation.

 This strong presence on the Circuit de la Sarthe underlines BMW's long-standing commitment to the alliance between art and technology. The presentation of the first BMW Art Car marks a celebration of the artistic and technological journey, reinforcing the idea that past progress feeds future innovation. This iconic ##BMW 3.0 CSL## embodies a perfect balance of lightness, performance and bold aesthetics.

2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Cars, as well as the 50th anniversary of the BMW 3 Series, one of the world's best-selling premium cars with over 20 million units sold.

On this occasion, Hervé Poulain, co-founder of the BMW Art Cars, auctioneer and racing driver, will share his vision and emotions about the creation of the first Art Car and discuss the uniqueness of this visionary collection. Alexander SC Rower, president of the Calder Foundation and grandson of the artist, will talk about the importance of this rolling sculpture in his grandfather's artistic legacy. This meeting will be marked by the themes of transmission and passion.

Hervé Poulain says: "I wanted to provoke a meeting between the major arts and industry, two worlds that ignored each other. The BMW Art Cars have transformed the status of the automobile by bringing this object born from applied arts into the fine art.” Looking to the future, he continues: “The automotive myth has undergone many transformations. Today, this myth is evolving as the 21st century promises unprecedented advancements. The BMW Art Car by Calder was born 50 years ago in reaction to the pessimism generated by the first oil shock, as a symbolic gesture of optimism and confidence in the future.”

50 years of ‘rolling sculptures’: the BMW Art Car Collection

Since 1975, renowned artists from around the world have created BMW Art Cars. The idea emerged thanks to French racing driver and art enthusiast Hervé Poulain, who, in collaboration with Jochen Neerpasch, then Head of Motorsport at BMW, invited his friend and artist Alexander Calder to paint a car. The result was a BMW 3.0 CSL that participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1975, captivating the public and marking the birth of the BMW Art Car Collection. Famous figures such as Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Esther Mahlangu, David Hockney, Jenny Holzer and Ólafur Elíasson have since enriched the collection with their unique styles. More recently, John Baldessari and Cao Fei have used the BMW M6 GTLM and BMW M6 GT3 respectively to add dynamic race cars to the collection, competing at Daytona in 2016 and Macau in 2017. The BMW Art Cars by Jeff Koons and Julie Mehretu raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2010 and 2024.

Le Mans Classic

Since its beginnings, Le Mans Classic has provided a unique stage where more than 600 cars gather to pay tribute to the history of motorsport. BMW, a loyal partner of the event, showcases a range of iconic vehicles, symbols of this rich tradition. This year's Le Mans Classic poster honours the legendary ##BMW M1 Procar##, paying tribute to the cars that have marked the history of the greatest endurance race of all time.

With over 200,000 visitors expected, Le Mans Classic is much more than just a car gathering. It is a grand popular festival, enriched by parades and cultural activities that connect automotive history with the future. In this year of double celebration, BMW is highlighting its rich heritage while reaffirming its commitment to innovation and excellence.

Models on display in the BMW area from 4 to 6 July:

• 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL Calder (Artist's Proof)
• 1995 BMW M3 GT Coupé E36
• BMW M3 CS Touring
• BMW i4 M60
• BMW M Electrified (Development Prototype)

Further information on the Calder BMW Art Car (Artist's Proof) can be found here.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Båstad/Munich. The Aurora 2025 returned from June 27 to 29 at Norrvikens Trädgårdar, showcasing a remarkable collection of unique vehicles. In this exclusive setting, automotive culture, art and Scandinavian style come together in a fascinating way. A special highlight this year: the presentation of four BMW Art Cars from the world-famous BMW Art Car Collection. The iconic vehicles were shown side by side with selected BMW Classic models and exceptional collector's items from Scandinavia. BMW Group proudly partners with The Aurora since last year.

50 Years of BMW Art Cars
This year’s partnership also celebrated a milestone in BMW’s cultural legacy: the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Car Collection. Since 1975, 20 artists have transformed BMW vehicles into “rolling sculptures”. On the occasion of the anniversary, four of the most famous cars from the collection were on display at The Aurora 2025:

• Alexander Calder: BMW 3.0 CSL (1975)
• Roy Lichtenstein: BMW 320 Group 5 (1977)
• Andy Warhol: BMW M1 Group 4 (1979)
• Jeff Koons: BMW M3 GT2 (2010)

This year’s exhibition at the event not only celebrated the artistic legacy of these masterpieces but also emphasizes BMW’s commitment to cultural engagement and innovation.

"BMW has always believed in the synergy between art and mobility," said Stefan Teuchert, President & CEO, BMW Northern Europe. "The Aurora provides a unique platform to showcase our Art Cars alongside our latest models, merging our rich heritage with the future of mobility in an inspiring way."

In addition to the Art Cars, The Aurora featured a stunning array of extraordinary vehicles from BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce, and BMW Motorrad, including historical models and modern editions. Visitors had the opportunity to experience the full potential of the BMW Individual program, showcasing the brand's dedication to customization and exclusivity.

"The Aurora is not just an automotive event; it’s a celebration of creativity, innovation, and the rich history of BMW," said Filip Larsson, CEO of The Aurora. "We are thrilled to have BMW as our main partner, bringing their iconic Art Cars and extraordinary vehicles to our attendees."

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Munich/Arles. The 2025 edition of Les Rencontres d’Arles promises to be particularly special. It features the unprecedented exhibition "Traversée du fragment manquant" by artist Raphaëlle Peria and curator Fanny Robin, the winning duo of the BMW ART MAKERS programme. This milestone also marks the 15th anniversary of a long-standing cultural partnership between BMW France and Les Rencontres d’Arles.

Les Rencontres d’Arles 2025.
"Trees are living beings that carry our memory; they are the guardians of our secrets," says artist Raphaëlle Peria.

The exhibition "Traversée du fragment manquant" by Raphaëlle Peria and Fanny Robin, winners of the BMW ART MAKERS 2025 programme, will premiere this summer during the 56th edition of Les Rencontres d’Arles at the Cloître Saint-Trophime.

"With ‘Traversée du fragment manquant’, Raphaëlle Peria presents a new body of work based on fresh research and new artistic processes. Revisiting childhood photographs from her first journey along the Canal du Midi, she retraces the path of the plane trees now threatened by a devastating fungus. By exploring this landscape of memory through new effects of transparency, she captures the evolution of a disappearing nature – inscribing absence and the passage of time into her images," says the curator Fanny Robin.

Raphaëlle Peria and Fanny Robin declare, "This award recognizes our longstanding creative partnership and allows us to go further in our exploration of new materials and forms. We aim for this project to be both unique and bold, made possible thanks to the dedicated support of the BMW team. With ‘Traversée du fragment manquant’, we invite viewers to take part in a poetic journey through the heart of photographic imagery."

The BMW ART MAKERSprogramme brings together and supports an emerging visual artist and curator in the joint creation of an original artistic project. The winning duo receives a €33,000 grant as well as production and research funding. The resulting exhibition is first presented at Les Rencontres d’Arles and then showcased at Paris Photo, where BMW is also an official partner.

Practical Information
Exhibition: "Traversée du fragment manquant" by Raphaëlle Peria and Fanny Robin.
Location: Robin Cloître Saint-Trophime, Arles.
Dates: 7 July – 5 October 2025.

A celebration of diversity and long-term commitment: 15 years of partnership.

As this anniversary approaches, BMW France reflects on a long-standing collaboration. As a pioneering company,  BMW values the avant-garde visions of artists, who foresee  the world’s future challenges. Their unique perspectives help us anticipate social transformations  and enrich our understanding of the world.

For 15 years,  BMW has provided a platform for artistic experimentation through its partnership with the festival. The diversity of projects presented over the years highlights the evolution of contemporary creation and reinforces BMW's role as a committed supporter of emerging talents.

From ten years of the BMW Residency to the last three editions of the BMW ART MAKERS programme, numerous artists and curators have explored contemporary themes through varied and innovative practices. Artists such as Alexandra Catière, Baptiste Rabichon, and Almudena Romero have combined traditional techniques with new technologies to create sensitive, imaginative, and sometimes ephemeral works. Other projects have explored intersections between disciplines – like Natasha Caruana's exploration of love and science, or the immersive installation by Arash Hanaei and Morad Montazami examining the impact of digital technologies on human subjectivity.

Humour infused the examination of human-animal relationships in the work of Mazaccio & Drowilal, while Alinka Echeverria challenged traditional representations of femininity and identity. Emeric Lhuisset addressed physical and cultural borders, while Marion Gronier revealed the world of the circus through portraiture. Dune Varela questioned the permanence and two-dimensionality of photography, while Eva Nielsen and Marianne Derrien reinvented the medium through solar screen printing to evoke the layered nature of landscapes . Mustapha Azeroual and Marjolaine Levy’s use of lenticular panoptics in "The Green Ray" revealed what often escapes our gaze.

Through this collaboration with Les Rencontres d’Arles, BMW France contributes to the photographic heritage while nurturing the diversity of contemporary expression and encouraging critical engagement with the present. This approach fosters a shared narrative and redefines our perception of the modern world.

A strong commitment to education and transmission.
Beyond creativity, this partnership is also rooted in education, particularly through “La Rentrée en Images”, an initiative by Les Rencontres d’Arles. Each year, more than 400 school classes are invited to discover contemporary photography, develop critical thinking skills, and reflect on their relationship with images.

A shared vision for the future of culture.
BMW is committed to supporting artistic creation, research, and cultural transmission in a spirit of sustainability and social responsibility. BMW’s partnerships are part of a long-term strategy aimed at making culture accessible to all while fostering dialogue between artists, society, and the company. This anniversary highlights the strength and longevity of BMW’s relationship with Les Rencontres d’Arles and reflects a shared vision.

"The partnership with BMW fully aligns with the mission of Les Rencontres d'Arles to support emerging creation and offer a platform for exploring contemporary issues in an experimental context. The launch of the BMW ART MAKERS programme four years ago marked a significant turning point by offering a selected artist-curator duo the means to bring their exhibition project to life. Over the past 15 years of collaboration, BMW has helped foster the emergence of new talent. This year, the project ‘Traversée du fragment manquant’ by Raphaëlle Peria and Fanny Robin – winners of the BMW ART MAKERS programme – is presented as part of the ‘Nomadic Chronicles’ section of Les Rencontres d’Arles 2025. It explores the traces left by the transformation of the landscape along the Canal du Midi. Merging photography, engraving, and memory, family archives blend with tactile gestures in a sensitive rediscovery of the territory," says Christoph Wiesner, Director of Les Rencontres d’Arles.

"Together, we make culture shine – today and for future generations – celebrating the value of long-term commitment in a rapidly changing world," says Vincent Salimon, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW Group France.

Biographies of the BMW ART MAKERS 2025 Laureates.

Raphaëlle Peria, Artist 
Graduated in 2014 from the École Européenne Supérieure d’Art de Bretagne. In 2015, she was a finalist for the Bourse Révélations Emerige and in 2017 she held her first solo exhibition at Galerie Papillon, Paris. In 2019 she was a resident artist at Château Blanc in Flixecourt, culminating in the solo exhibition Narcissus in flores. In 2021, she participated in the Blooming exhibition organized at Domaine Pommery in Reims. In 2022, she took part in the exhibition Singularités plurielles: Azul Andrea, Eva Jospin, Raphaëlle Peria, Christelle Téa at Chapelle de la Visitation – Espace d’art contemporain, Thonon-les-Bains. In 2024, she presented her solo exhibition Dérives de nos rêves informulés at Fondation Bullukian, Lyon. Her work is part of public and private collections: Frac Picardie, Musée des Beaux-Arts La Cohue, Fondation Thalie (BE).

Fanny Robin, Curator
Fanny Robin is an art critic, artistic director of Fondation Bullukian in Lyon, and an independent exhibition curator. In 2018, she founded the Campagne Première festival, which raises awareness of contemporary art and heritage enhancement in rural areas, notably through artist residencies and exhibitions where residents and local stakeholders are invited to participate in cultural projects. Fanny Robin develops a committed curatorial and critical approach focused on issues of transmission and relationships. She is particularly interested in artists who draw from the past (historical context, traditional gestures and techniques, popular traditions, and tangible and intangible heritage) to question current events and our changing society.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Munich/Basel. In 2025, BMW celebrates 50 years of BMW Art Cars. To connect this legacy with the present, former Art Car juror Hans Ulrich Obrist and BMW have invited renowned artist Alvaro Barrington to transform the BMW Hydrogen VIP car fleet into a moving artwork during Art Basel in Basel 2025. This marks the second year in a row that the BMW iX5 Hydrogen fleet has been in operation at the art fair, following last year’s successful debut featuring the artwork of British artist Es Devlin. 

BMW has been Official Automotive Partner of Art Basel globally for over two decades, supporting creative voices that shape contemporary culture. Barrington was selected by curator Hans Ulrich Obrist, former member of the BMW Art Car jury, in line with the brand’s heritage of engaging with pioneering artistic perspectives. The resulting work, titled “Simply, 2025”, envelops the BMW iX5 Hydrogen fleet in Barrington’s distinctive visual language.

As a tribute to BMW’s pioneering work in innovative mobility, Barrington has reimagined the fleet of BMW iX5 Hydrogen vehicles with a striking wrap that reflects his signature collage aesthetic. Inspired by figures of cultural reinvention such as David Hockney, Richard Hamilton, Henri Matisse and Tina Turner, Barrington explores how mobility itself is evolving – not just in form, but in its emotional and cultural resonance.

Drawing on in-depth conversations with BMW’s hydrogen engineers, Barrington’s concept bridges technology and humanity. Using a vivid palette and layered forms, his artwork expresses themes of transformation, nature, and technological innovation. The wrap fuses artistic vision with design precision, symbolising a future where mobility is not only sustainable but also emotionally intelligent and culturally integrated.

Alvaro Barrington says: “Driving culture is one of the most important cultures in the world – billions of people participate in it. As an artist who is supposed to be involved in cultural production, it’s really interesting to be a part of this conversation about sustainability and the future of cars that BMW and the rest of the world is having.” 

Alvaro Barrington’s practice, rooted in painting but extending into multimedia and textiles, examines how materials carry cultural, political and personal histories. His BMW iX5 Hydrogen collaboration marks a significant moment in this journey, channelling his curiosity about the human-centric potential of technology and dynamic vision into motion through the medium of innovative transport in a joyful way.

Central to the collaboration is the BMW iX5 Hydrogen – a vehicle that showcases the brand’s pioneering role in innovative mobility and technology. As part of BMW’s presence at Art Basel in Basel 2025, the fleet will serve as the VIP car service alongside the fully electric BMW i7, reinforcing BMW’s commitment to contemporary luxury, innovation, and exclusive driving experiences. 

"The collaboration with Alvaro Barrington amplifies our pioneering fuel-cell technology through the lens of art," says Michael Rath, Head of Hydrogen Vehicles, BMW Group. "We are firmly committed to launching our first hydrogen-powered vehicle in 2028."

First hydrogen-powered BMW production model in 2028.
As part of its holistic approach and after the successful global testing of the pilot fleet of BMW iX5 Hydrogen vehicles, BMW is now preparing to start the series production of vehicles with hydrogen drivetrain in 2028. The series production models will be integrated into BMW’s existing portfolio, i.e. BMW will offer an existing model in an additional hydrogen fuel cell drive system variant. As fuel cell technology is another electric vehicle technology, the BMW Group explicitly views it as complementing the drive technology used by battery electric vehicles (BEV) and next to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and internal combustion engines (ICE).

The BMW VIP car service fleet, featuring Barrington’s custom-wrapped BMW iX5 Hydrogen cars, can be seen on the streets of Basel during the fair, from 19 to 22 June 2025. The project affirms BMW’s position at the intersection of contemporary luxury, innovation, joy and artistic expression.

Earlier this year, as part of the BMW Art Car World Tour, BMW presented another artist-designed vehicle during the Market Art Fair in Stockholm. German artist Gregor Hildebrandt wrapped a fleet of fully electric BMW i5 and i7 models with his distinctive visual language, turning them into mobile artworks on the streets of the Swedish capital. Further artist collaborations and custom vehicle wraps are set to follow throughout the global tour.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Munich. The BMW Museum in Munich is using a special exhibition taking place as part of the international BMW Art Car World Tour to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of both the legendary BMW Art Car Collection and the iconic BMW 3 Series. The exhibition will open its doors to visitors from 17 June, hot on the heels of the Le Mans 24 Hours race weekend. Fittingly, it was at Le Mans in 1975 that the first BMW Art Car – created by Alexander Calder – staged its glittering premiere. The exhibition, which runs until 1 February 2026, will see the BMW Museum present a trio of Art Cars based on the BMW 3 Series: Sandro Chia’s BMW M3 GTR and the BMW M3 (Group A) cars designed by Michael Jagamara Nelson and Ken Done respectively.

The exhibition at the BMW Museum – the home of the BMW Art Cars when they are not on display at destinations around the globe – is one of the attractions of the ongoing BMW Art Car World Tour, the largest exhibition project yet in the 50-year history of the collection. The Tour has so far visited 12 markets on five continents, and will continue to showcase the legendary BMW Art Cars across numerous art and car platforms, and at institutes worldwide, over the coming year. The BMW Museum will use the special exhibition to provide insights into the artistic brilliance and history of the BMW Art Car Collection, as well as inviting visitors to explore the technical excellence of the 3 Series and the innovative power of the BMW brand.

50 years of driving pleasure: the BMW 3 Series 
Since it first hit the roads in 1975, the BMW 3 Series has served as a byword for driving pleasure and a cornerstone for the success of BMW. Across five decades, it has reimagined the concept of the sports sedan, set new standards for performance and put smiles on the faces of millions of drivers around the world. From the groundbreaking first generation to today’s innovative models, the 3 Series has been an enduring, style-defining feature of the automotive landscape.

50 years of “rolling sculptures”: the BMW Art Car Collection
Since 1975, renowned artists from countries the world over have gone to work creating BMW Art Cars. The idea was the brainchild of French racing driver and art lover Hervé Poulain, who teamed up with BMW’s then Head of Motorsport Jochen Neerpasch to invite friend and artist Alexander Calder to paint a design onto a car. The result was a BMW 3.0 CSL that competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1975, becoming a darling of the crowd – and marking the birth of the BMW Art Car Collection. Famous names including Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Esther Mahlangu, David Hockney, Jenny Holzer and Ólafur Elíasson have since added further BMW Art Cars bearing their own individual style to the collection. More recently, the American John Baldessari and Chinese multimedia artist Cao Fei used the BMW M6 GTLM and BMW M6 GT3 respectively as a canvas for their takes on the BMW Art Car concept in 2016 and 2017. They therefore joined Jeff Koons and Julie Mehretu in applying their creativity to dynamic racing cars in the last 15 years.

BMW Art Cars at the BMW Museum from 17 June
BMW M3 Group A by Ken Done (1989):
Australian artist Ken Done created a vibrant and richly coloured design that captures the energy and dynamism of motor racing. His work represents a homage to the speed and power of the BMW M3.

“It was a great honour to be asked to be part of this fabulous Art Car collection. I wanted to express the joy of speed and the brilliance of the machine itself.” Ken Done

BMW M3 Group A by Michael Jagamara Nelson (1989):
Michael Jagamara Nelson, also from Australia, brought the traditions of Aboriginal art to the bodywork of the BMW M3. His complex motifs using dot painting techniques tell Dreaming stories that are deeply rooted in the culture of his people.

“A car is a landscape as it would be seen from a plane – I have included water, the kangaroo and the opossum.” Michael Jagamara Nelson

BMW M3 GTR by Sandro Chia (1992):
Italian artist Sandro Chia transformed a BMW M3 GTR into a painting on wheels that depicts human figures and emotions in vivid colours. His work symbolises the connection between man and machine, and invites us to reflect on the role of the car in modern society.

“I have created both a picture and a world. Everything that is looked at closely turns into a face. A face is a focus, a focus of life and the world.” Sandro Chia

The 10th BMW Art Car, a BMW 730i designed by Spanish artist César Manrique in 1990, is also on show at the BMW Museum as part of its permanent exhibition.

For more information, please visit:
BMW Art Cars im BMW Museum
BMW Art Car World Tour

If you have any questions, please contact:
Lisa Meindl
BMW Group Corporate and Governmental Affairs
Spokesperson BMW Museum und BMW Welt
Phone: +49-89-382-31668 
E-Mail: Lisa.Meindl@bmw.de

Ilya Baryshev
BMW Group Corporate and Governmental Affairs
Spokesperson, BMW Art Car World Tour
Telefon: +49-151-601-544-36
E-Mail: Ilya.Baryshev@bmwgroup.com

Bratislava. Marking a decade of collaboration between BMW Slovakia and the Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, the BMW Art Car World Tour 2025 has arrived in Bratislava with a compelling exhibition. Until June 1, 2025, the Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum will host "The Private Collection by BMW", offering a rare opportunity to explore the intersection of artistic vision and engineering excellence through three iconic BMW Art Cars.

This year’s exhibition also marks a decade of partnership between BMW Slovakia and the Danubiana Museum with the museum director Mr. Vincent Polakovič, a collaboration that has brought numerous cultural and artistic highlights to the Slovak capital.

BMW Art Cars on display in Bratislava:

• Frank Stella’s BMW 3.0 CSL (1976).
• Michael Jagamara Nelson’s BMW M3 Group A (1989).
• Matazo Kayama’s BMW 535i (1990).

Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum is one of Europe’s most striking contemporary art venues. Situated on the banks of the Danube River, on the borders of three countries (Slovakia, Hungary and Austria), the museum’s architectural beauty and serene surroundings provide the perfect setting to showcase the Art Cars and their captivating stories.

The exhibition also features works by talented students from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava (VŠVU) and young artists from the "Children and Architecture" project. These initiatives aim to inspire future generations to explore the intersections of art, design, and innovation.

The Art Car World Tour: A Global Celebration
The Bratislava exhibition is part of the BMW Art Car World Tour 2025, the largest exhibition project in the history of the collection, spanning all five continents. Since the tour’s kick-off, events have been held in 12 different markets at an incredible pace, sharing the legacy of the Art Cars with audiences around the globe.

The exhibition will also highlight BMW and MINI’s current offerings, with models that embody thrilling performance, electrification, and driving pleasure. Featured vehicles include: retro style of the brand new Motorrad BMW R 12 G/S, BMW iX M70, BMW i5, BMW M5 Touring, MINI Cabrio and BMW Z4 which represent the 1st official BMW Classic Club in Slovakia (BMW Z-roadster Club Slovakia) and connection to the BMW Z3 anniversary of start production, 30 years ago, in 1995.

“It is a great honor for us that Slovakia has been included in the global calendar of the exhibitions of the BMW Art Car Worldwide Tour. In the past, we brought to Bratislava the first ever BMW Art Car by Andy Warhol, whose heritage roots are in Slovakia. This year, we deliberately focused on the artistic interpretation of rolling sculptures by artists from three different continents - American Frank Stella, Australian Michael Jagamara Nelson and Japanese Matazo Kayama,” said Veronika Hammond, CEO of BMW Slovak Republic.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Stockholm. Market Art Fair 2025, Scandinavia’s longest running premier art fair, opens its 19th edition this Thursday, May 15 (until Sunday, May 18), presenting a record-breaking 51 galleries from across the globe at Liljevalchs Konsthall on Stockholm’s Djurgården island. For the fourth consecutive year, BMW Sweden proudly partners with the fair, underscoring their shared commitment to art, innovation, and cultural exchange.

This year’s collaboration brings a fresh perspective to the streets of Stockholm as internationally renowned German artist Gregor Hildebrandt unveils his unique design for BMW’s fully electric shuttle fleet. Seven BMW i5 Sedans and i7 models*, wrapped in the artist’s visuals, will be in service throughout the fair, transporting VIP guests between venues. One of the cars will also be prominently displayed in front of the fair, making the artwork accessible to the general public.

A dynamic partnership
BMW’s relationship with Market Art Fair began in 2022, and since then, their collaboration has grown in scope and creativity. While the first year featured a single car on display outside the venue, 2023 marked the debut of the VIP shuttle service with six BMW i7 models wrapped in designs by Swedish-Estonian artist Siiri Jüris (Galleri Duerr). In 2024, seven vehicles – BMW i5 Sedans and i7 models –featured works by Swedish artist Katrin Westman (GSA Gallery). This year, Gregor Hildebrandt continues the tradition, bringing his art the streets of Stockholm with a fleet of seven vehicles.

Hildebrandt’s work, “Letztes Jahr in Marienbad, 2022”, was originally created for an exhibition at Atelierele Malmaison in Bucharest and is inspired by the 1961 film of the same name by director Alain Resnais. The artwork incorporates a VHS recording of the film’s first third and explores themes of memory and motion.

"For me, this is a fantastic opportunity to create a kinetic sculpture in a public space," said Hildebrandt. "I envisioned the film’s fragmented narrative driving through Stockholm as a way to merge the past and the present in a mobile form."

Hildebrandt, represented by Avlskarl Gallery at Market Art Fair 2025, is celebrated for his innovative use of materials such as cassette tapes and vinyl records, which he transforms into paintings, sculptures, and installations. His work resonates with the transient nature of memory and movement.

50 Years of BMW Art Cars
This year’s partnership also celebrates a milestone in BMW’s cultural legacy: the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Car Collection. Since 1975, 20 artists, including Alexander Calder, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jeff Koons, have transformed BMW vehicles into “rolling sculptures”. In honor of this occasion, four iconic BMW Art Cars will be showcased in Sweden for the first during the fair:

Alexander Calder: BMW 3.0 CSL (1975)
Roy Lichtenstein: BMW 320 Group 5 (1977)
Andy Warhol: BMW M1 Group 4 (1979)
Jeff Koons: BMW M3 GT2 (2010)

The collection of 20 BMW Art Cars now forms the essence of the company's global cultural engagement, which encompasses over one hundred initiatives in the fields of contemporary art, music, film and design. To celebrate the 50th anniversary, the BMW Art Car World Tour is a programme of exhibitions on all five continents, accompanied by numerous events. Following stops at Art Basel in Hong Kong, the Shanghai Motor Show and Art Dubai, the tour will visit the BMW Museum in Munich and Contemporary Istanbul, among others.

"For BMW, the combination of art and mobility has always been a passion," said Johanna Kriisa, Managing Director of BMW Sweden. "This fourth year of partnership with Market Art Fair brings together art history, contemporary creativity, and the future of electrification. With the BMW Art Cars, Gregor Hildebrandt’s mobile artwork, and our fully electric shuttles, we are offering visitors a truly unique experience."

A global stage for Nordic art
Market Art Fair 2025 is a landmark event in its own right. Historically focused on Scandinavian galleries, this year marks the fair’s first international expansion, welcoming exhibitors from across the globe. A distinguished selection committee of Nordic museum directors and curators ensures that the fair maintains its reputation for bold artistic visions and curatorial excellence.

For the first time, Market Art Fair will take over the entire Liljevalchs building, including Gert Wingårdh’s striking 2021 modernist extension, Liljevalchs+. This iconic venue, nestled on Djurgården’s serene island park, provides the perfect setting for the fair’s dynamic program of discovery, dialogue, and dealmaking.

Sara Berner Bengtsson, Director and CEO of Market Art Fair, said: "For 50 years, BMW’s pioneering work at the intersection of art and innovation, has transformed vehicles into canvases that carry artistic visions across cities and cultures. This legacy aligns with Market Art Fair’s mission to champion bold creativity and collaborations that bridge disciplines and inspire fresh perspectives. BMW’s longstanding commitment to artists mirrors our belief in art’s transformative power, and we’re proud to celebrate this milestone with them. We can’t wait to see Gregor Hildebrandt’s striking designs animating Stockholm’s streets—art and motion in true BMW style. Here’s to many more years of driving creativity forward."

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Munich/Düsseldorf. The exhibition “KAIROS / Hauntological Variations” (10 May to 12 October 2025) is the largest survey exhibition of Julie Mehretu's work in Germany to date. Nearly 100 works express the full range of her artistic practice, from her early, urban-inspired line drawings of the 1990s to her most recent, spectacular abstract paintings. Among the works on display is the maquette of the BMW Art Car #20 designed by Julie Mehretu in 2024, which is part of the renowned BMW Art Car Collection celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

The Ethiopian-American artist Julie Mehretu is one of the most influential painters working today. Known for her immersive large-scale paintings reflecting on world politics, Mehretu has exhibited in the most prestigious biennials and museums throughout the world. Mehretu’s work uses source materials that mark pivotal political events and historical sites. Through techniques like brushwork, line drawing, airbrush painting, and screen printing, these once-familiar images are transformed into abstract compositions. Through these abstractions, places and moments that define recent history—whether the Grenfell Tower fire in London or Saddam Hussein’s destroyed palace in Baghdad—are pictured, dissected, atomized and interrogated.

“KAIROS / Hauntological Variations” features 25 paintings that measure up to 7.5 meters wide, range in date from 2001 to 2023, and show the chronological development of Mehretu’s work. The exhibition further dives into Mehretu’s conceptual thinking, showcasing works on paper and source material, which is exhibited alongside her works for the first time here. Also presented is time-based media made by Mehretu’s peers inspired by her practice: the documentary “Palimpsest” (2021), capturing Mehretu in her studio; a video work by filmmaker Trevor Tweeten based on the album “Promises” (2021) by Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra; and an album by jazz musician Jason Moran.

Julie Mehretu artistically designed the 20th BMW Art Car in 2024, she developed the foiling for the BMW M Hybrid V8 as a remix of her painting ‘Everywhen’. Her idea was for the vehicle to go through the painting and be affected by it. Over the next two years, Mehretu will be working with the BMW Group to organise the African Film and Media Arts Collective (AFMAC), a network for young filmmakers in five African countries. For the first time in the history of the iconic collection, an artist is developing an Art Car that goes far beyond the car as a pure art object. The maquette of the BMW Art Car can be seen in the exhibition and a film programme later in the year will show contributions by the artists involved in AFMAC.
The exhibition takes place in the anniversary year of the BMW Art Car Collection: in 1975, the iconic collection celebrates its 50th anniversary with the BMW Art Car World Tour, a concerted exhibition programme of the 20 rolling sculptures worldwide.

Mehretu's artistic career
Mehretu was born in 1970 in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa and fled with her family to Michigan, USA, in 1977 after the beginning of the military dictatorship under Mengistu Haile Mariam. There she began her art studies at Kalamazoo College in the late 1980s, spent a year at the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal, and received her Master of Fine Arts degree from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 1997. Interrupted by working stays in Berlin and artist residencies in various parts of the United States, Mehretu has lived and worked in New York since the late 1990s.

Influenced by her experiences of flight and migration, Mehretu’s art has from the very beginning explored the upheavals and contradictions of history. In this context, she describes the large-scale works she has been making since the late 1990s as “story maps of no location.” Borrowing from the visual language of cartography, they are palimpsest-like, overall compositions composed of many layers of ink and acrylic paint. As is readily apparent in works such as Rise of the New Suprematists (2001) and Black City (2007), the lower layers consist of fragmentarily composed topographies and cityscapes. Without identifying a specific location, the structures are based on historical, contemporary, and utopian architecture. They refer to buildings as sites of historical action and, for Mehretu, symbolize the power of dominant politics. Above them, in swarm-like formations, are the fine dots and lines of Mehretu’s drawing vocabulary. The arrangement of these so-called “characters” (beings, figures, signs) is analogous to the ever-changing economic, social, and political events of the world. Accentuated by explosions, smoke, and vortex-like structures, they suggest dramatic upheavals. The result is highly complex, layered imagery that makes the processes of over-writing history between past and future legible and tangible.

From 2012 until today
Since the 2010s, Mehretu’s work has undergone a significant aesthetic transformation. Initially, the backgrounds turned gray, with increasingly expressive markings covering more and more of the surface. In works such as “Conjured Parts (tongues)” (2015), the line drawings in the background disappear in favor of spray-painted forms of heavily manipulated, blurred photographs. These are appropriated from widespread media images associated with the rise of authoritarianism and white supremacy, the cruelty of civil wars and ethnic conflicts, catastrophic climate change, and emancipatory movements. They often show the vulnerability of people in the face of violence, but also their impressive capacity for resistance. If such images from Mehretu’s archive, which has been steadily growing since the 1990s, once influenced the dynamics of individual formations on the upper layers of her works, they now provide the guiding material for her completely abstract compositions that fill the canvas. As vividly illustrated in works such as “Sun Ship (J.C.)” (2018), “Desire was our breastplate” (2022–23), and “TRANSpainting (recurrence)” (2023), Mehretu continually incorporates new colors and various painting and printing techniques. The resulting images often resemble calligraphy, graffiti, and even cave paintings, and where language reaches its limits, she processes scenes from world events into “visual neologisms.”

The source for Mehretus' work
In Düsseldorf, a selection of the source material that Mehretu has been collecting since the mid-1990s and that serves as the basis for her works is being shown for the first time in an exhibition. The “Archive Pages” (1997), also on view in the exhibition, make clear that this archive material functions as a guiding atlas for her painterly gestures and signs. This series consists of fifty-seven photocopied images, some of which Mehretu has annotated with her “characters”—a deliberately reduced sign language consisting, among other things, of crosses, dots, and dashes. As drawn precursors and miniatures, twenty early works on paper also illustrate how Mehretu’s large paintings developed layer by layer from the drawing. The comprehensive exhibition at K21 also includes a selection of Mehretu’s monotypes. The forty-six sheets illustrate how the versatile medium of printmaking is a constant field of experimentation for expanding her painterly repertoire. 

Last year, after a long period of planning, two prestigious major projects were announced. Mehretu designed a more than twenty-five-meter-high window for the Obama Presidential Center and created the twentieth BMW Art Car. Her work has been exhibited at, among others, The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Hayward Gallery in London, the Louisiana Museum in Humblebaek, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and the Mori Art-Museum in Tokyo. She has also been represented at the Venice, São Paulo, Busan, Sydney, and Gwanju biennials, as well as dOCUMENTA (13), and has received major honors such as the MacArthur Award and the Medal of Arts Award.

Following exhibitions at the Kunstverein Hannover in 2007 and the Deutsche Guggenheim in Berlin in 2009, the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen is proud to present KAIROS / Hauntological Variations, Mehretu’s first institutional solo exhibition in Germany in over fifteen years. Featuring works from nearly thirty years, the exhibition demonstrates how, as a painter, she relentlessly counteracts every crisis with her inventive spirit. 

The exhibition is curated by Susanne Gaensheimer, Director of Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, and Sebastian Peter, Assistant Curator. 

Programme

Press Preview: May 8, 11 am
Press Conference: May 8, 12 pm

Opening
Friday, May 9, 7 – 10 pm, free entry
Artist Talk at 8 pm: Julie Mehretu in conversation with Kimberly Bradley 
(art critic, editor, and educator)

Further information on the exhibition's supporting programme can be found here.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Munich/Berlin. From 2 to 4 May 2025, Gallery Weekend Berlin will celebrate its 21st edition. As a long-standing partner, BMW once again supports the renowned art weekend in the German capital and, for the first time, contributes to its newly launched talk programme. Under the title BMW Art Talk: “Why and How to Support Art”, BMW Group Cultural Engagement is hosting a high-profile panel discussion on Friday, 2 May at the iconic Neue Nationalgalerie.

A partner of Gallery Weekend Berlin since 2013, BMW has supported the development of one of the world’s most significant contemporary art platforms ever since. This year’s event also puts a spotlight on the latest seventh edition of the BMW Art Guide by Independent Collectors – a key publication that promotes access to private art collections across the globe.

As part of the new Gallery Weekend Art Talks, the BMW Art Talk: “Why and How to Support Art” will take place on Friday, 2 May, from 12 to 1pm. Initiated by BMW, the discussion brings together leading international collectors and patrons to explore how artists can be effectively supported in today’s evolving art market. Topics include the role of private initiatives, institutional collaborations, and digital platforms in fostering artistic talent. Panellists include Karen Boros, Founder of the Boros Collection in Berlin; collector Eva Leinemann and Azu Nwagbogu, founder of the African Artists’ Foundation and LagosPhoto Festival. The panel will be moderated by Thomas Girst, Head of Cultural Engagement at the BMW Group.

The Gallery Weekend Art Talks will be held throughout the weekend in the striking glass hall of the Neue Nationalgalerie, creating a central space for dialogue among artists, curators, collectors, and the public. Each day features multiple conversations with international guests and participating artists. The fact that Karen Boros, one of the panellists, is also featured in the BMW Art Guide once again illustrates the intersection of collecting practice and public exchange that connects both the talk and the guide. The BMW Art Guide by Independent Collectors, published by Hatje Cantz, presents 304 publicly accessible private collections in 51 countries, ranging from major art hubs like Berlin, New York and Cape Town to more secluded destinations in the Norwegian fjords and the Swiss Alps. Further information and insights on the BMW Art Guide can be found at: BMW Art Guide by Independent Collectors.

“Art is an important part of our society, and therefore it is important for us to create formats that open up dialogue and provide a platform for artists, curators, and collectors. For this, we need strong partners, and we are very pleased that BMW, as part of our long-standing partnership, is also supporting the talk series,” says Antonia Ruder, Director of Gallery Weekend Berlin.

Gallery Weekend Berlin offers visitors the opportunity to discover new names or deepen existing passions. Exhibitions curated especially for the event will open in all participating galleries on Friday, 2 May, from 6pm to 9pm. On Saturday, 3 May (11am - 7pm) and Sunday, 4 May (11am - 6pm), local and international visitors are warmly invited to explore the galleries across the city.

Save the Date
Press Preview: Wednesday, 30 April, 10am
Digital press conference and introduction to this year’s Gallery Weekend Berlin with Director Antonia Ruder. Click here to access the event.

Further information and press materials on the participating galleries can be found in the press section of the Gallery Weekend Berlin website (password: kunst).

In addition to its commitment to Gallery Weekend Berlin, the BMW Group also supports the Preis der Nationalgalerie as part of its long-term cultural engagement in Berlin. Beyond the visual arts, BMW collaborates with the Staatsoper Unter den Linden and will once again host the much-loved open-air concert Staatsoper für alle on Bebelplatz on 22 June 2025.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Dubai/ Munich. The 2025 edition of Art Dubai is set to take place at Madinat Jumeirah from 18 to 20 April, with VIP guests welcomed for preview days on 16 and 17 April. As a long-term supporter of the fair, BMW will showcase the iconic 4th BMW Art Car, painted by Andy Warhol in just 28 minutes in 1979, on the fairground. The display of Warhol’s BMW M1 at Art Dubai is part of the BMW Art Car World Tour, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the legendary BMW Art Car Collection this year.

Founded in 2007, Art Dubai has established itself as the most significant global art gathering in the Middle East, playing a pivotal role in the rapid growth of the region’s art scene and creative economy. Each year, the fair features around 120 contemporary, modern, and digital galleries from over 40 countries, showcasing a diverse range of artistic talent and positions. The gallery programme is complemented by artist commissions, an ambitious education initiative, and the most extensive talks and conference programming of any international art fair, including the renowned Global Art Forum and the annual Digital Summit. Art Dubai continues to champion galleries and artists from less-represented geographies, serving as a vital gateway for discovery, learning, and cultural exchange.

As part of the fair’s talk series, BMW will host the exclusive Art Talk “Driven by Art: Are Commissions and Co-creations the Future?” on 17th April at the Auditorium of Art Dubai. The international panalists Azu Nwagbogu (Founder and Director African Artists' Foundation and LagosPhoto Festival), Hans Ulrich Obrist (Artistic Director SERPENTINE) and Dr Stephanie Rosenthal (Director Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Project) will explore the rise of co-creation as cultural phenomenon. Taking the iconic BMW Art Car Initiative as a point of departure, the panelists will reflect on decades of artistic collaborations they themselves initiated through their curatorial practice and institutions, moderated by Prof Dr Thomas Girst (Global Head of BMW Group Cultural Engagement).

The BMW Art Car World Tour and its stop in Dubai
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Car Collection – an unprecedented mix of technology, art, and design that began in 1975 when French racing driver Hervé Poulain invited artist Alexander Calder to paint a BMW 3.0 CSL. Since then, the project has brought together visionary artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Esther Mahlangu, Jeff Koons, and Julie Mehretu, each transforming a BMW vehicle into a “rolling sculpture“. To celebrate this milestone, BMW has launched a global BMW Art Car World Tour to showcase the collection at cultural institutions, museums and platforms on all five continents.

In 1979, Andy Warhol transformed the BMW M1 into a radical canvas - a car that blurred the lines between art, performance and design. The exhibition of Warhol's BMW Art Car at this year's edition of Art Dubai underlines BMW's ongoing support for the arts and its commitment to fostering artistic dialogue and cultural exchange in the region. As part of the BMW Art Car World Tour 2025, Dubai joins this historic celebration of the series on tour.

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 in conversation with artist Paul Pfeiffer and architectural historian Lawrence Chua. 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 former Executive Director Koyo Kouoh (1967-2025) played a key role championing the project before her sudden and untimely death. 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 Pfeiffer and 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

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

September 2025: Dakar, Senegal, in partnership with Fanta Sy and Raw Material Company 
Lead artist: Mati Diop

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.

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 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.

Paris. The artist Raphaëlle Peria and the curator Fanny Robin were named winners of the BMW ART MAKERS programme to develop their project “Traversée du fragment manquant”. This artistic project is a new experiment, the result of their collaboration, which will lead to an unprecedented exhibition. This exhibition will be presented as part of two major photography events, the Rencontres d'Arles and Paris Photo. This is part of the long-standing partnerships that BMW is developing with these two cultural platforms.

The jury was composed of Simon Baker, director of the Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Florence Bourgeois, director of Paris Photo, Andreina de Bei, journalist for Sciences et Avenir, Hervé Digne, president of Poush-Manifesto, Chantal Nedjib, founder of L'Image par l'image, Christoph Wiesner, director of Rencontres d'Arles and Maryse Bataillard, head of corporate communication and CSR BMW Group France.

The project: “Traversée du fragment manquant”
For the BMW ART MAKERS programme, the artist Raphaëlle Peria and the curator Fanny Robin propose a project on the transformation of the territory.

Based on a childhood trip made by the artist on the Canal du Midi, marked by the image and the presence of the plane trees that border the canal and stabilize its banks, the artist returns to this site classified as a UNESCO Heritage Site. Since 2006, the plane trees that dot the landscape have been affected by a disease caused by a microscopic fungus, causing them to wither away. Their absence will profoundly change the landscape.

With “Traversée du fragment manquant”, the artist Raphaëlle Peria, who compares her approach to that of an ecologist studying a landscape and how it works, proposes to immortalize this endangered ecosystem by mixing personal archives and current photographs of the banks of the canal. These images are printed on large-format glass plates, unprecedented in her artistic practice. Using a unique engraving and scraping process, she fuses photographs, drawings and prints to illustrate the evolution of this landscape in order to preserve its memory.

Raphaëlle Peria and Fanny Robin declared upon the announcement of their nomination: “A huge thank you to the members of the BMW ART MAKERS programme jury for their confidence in our project. This programme recognizes our partnership started several years ago and will allow us to go further in the research and experimentation of new forms and new materials. This project, which we want to be unique and daring, and which will be thanks to the support and guidance of the BMW teams, is a real opportunity to explore and engage in new directions. With ‘Traversée du fragment manquant’ we invite viewers to experience a poetic escape, at the heart of the photographic image”.

The BMW ART MAKERS programme will make this project possible.“We believe that the association of an artist and a curator is key to giving birth to large-scale projects, from the first idea to the final work. We believe that dialogue and diverse perspectives are essential for creation and innovation. We give artists total creative freedom, while providing the artistic and technical expertise of our network. With the decisive support of the BMW ART MAKERS programme, this ambitious project will be able to fully materialize and shine on the national and international artistic scene” - Maryse Bataillard, Head of Corporate Communication and CSR, BMW Group France.

More than 180 applications received for this new edition.
Each year, the projects received during the call for applications reflect the trends and topics invested by artists. Among more than 180 applications submitted, the six selected finalist duos had to provide a note of intent, a budget, a production schedule, a scenography proposal and images of their previous work.

These projects presented revealed a great diversity of profiles and works, with 55% of mixed-gender duos, 35% of female duos and 10% of male duos. 58% of the duos were French, 42% were international, coming from more than 26 countries.

Several major trends have emerged, reflecting current societal challenges. Numerous proposals addressed themes related to the environment and ecological transition, inviting contemplation and meditation on the relationship between man and nature. Other projects have addressed issues of post-colonialism, ethnography, and endangered cultural traditions. The inclusion and visibility of minorities were also addressed, in particular through the theme of migrants. Finally, the scenography revealed a strong trend towards immersive exhibitions, using new technologies such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality, often accompanied by sound or light devices.

The first selection of projects was carried out by a pre-jury of visual arts professionals composed of Fabienne Bideaud, curator and art historian, Karin Hemar, creator and consultant in creative strategy, co-president of Les Filles de la Photo, Fabrice Laroche, professor referent at Gobelins, l ‘école de l ‘Image, Maud Prangey, consultant in images and contemporary art, and Maryse Bataillard, head of the corporate communication and CSR, BMW Group France.

The pre-jury allowed 6 nominated artist-curator duos to be auditioned during an interview in front of the jury

• Raphaëlle Peria (artist), Fanny Robin (curator) with the project Traversée du fragment manquant.
• Christian Vium (artist), Irene Campolmi (curator) with the project Unless the Miles Travelled Means Something More than Journey.
• Constantin Schlachter (artist), Margot Nguyen (curator) with the project Polyphonie des Invisibles.
• Haley Morris-Cafiero (artist), Eva Eicker (curator) with the project What Does an Ideal Employee Look Like?
• Sylvie Bonnot (artist), Marie Robert (curator) with the project Et si ?
• Laure Winants (artist), Stéphanie Pécourt (curator) with the project Time Capsule II.

Biography of the laureates:
Raphaëlle Peria, artist.
Graduated in 2014 from the École Européenne Supérieure d'Art de Bretagne. In 2015, she was a finalist for the Emerige Revelations Grant and in 2017 she held her first solo exhibition at the Papillon Gallery, Paris. In 2019 she was a Creative Resident Artist at the Château Blanc in Flixecourt, concluded with the solo exhibition Narcissus in Flores. In 2021, she participated in the Blooming exhibition organized at the Domaine Pommery in Reims. In 2022, she participated in the exhibition Singularités plurielles: Azul Andrea, Eva Jospin, Raphaëlle Peria, Christelle Téa at the Chapelle de la Visitation — Espace d’art contemporain, Thonon-les-Bains. In 2024, she presented her personal exhibition Dérives de nos Rêves informulés, Bullukian Foundation, Lyon. It is part of public and private collections: Frac Picardie, La Cohue Museum of Fine Arts, Thalie Foundation (BE).

Fanny Robin, curator.
Fanny Robin is an art critic, artistic director of the Bullukian Foundation in Lyon and an independent curator. In 2018, she founded the Campagne Première festival, which raises awareness about contemporary art and the promotion of heritage in rural areas, in particular through the hosting of artists in residence and the implementation of exhibitions where inhabitants and local actors are invited to take part in cultural projects. Fanny Robin develops a curatorial approach and a committed critic on the issues of transmission and relationships. She is particularly interested in artists who draw on the past (historical context, traditional gestures and techniques, popular traditions and material and intangible heritages...) to question current events and our changing society.

Munich/Hong Kong. Following its global debut in 2024, the BMW Group is proud to present the 20th BMW Art Car, designed by internationally renowned artist Julie Mehretu, at this year’s edition of Art Basel Hong Kong. The showcase is part of the ongoing BMW Art Car World Tour, celebrating 50 years of the iconic “rolling sculptures” that unite art, design, and innovation. The 20th BMW Art Car will be on view at Art Basel Hong Kong alongside a display of miniature BMW Art Cars from across the past 50 years, with designs by artists including Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Jenny Holzer, and Jeff Koons, on the occasion of this milestone anniversary. As a global partner of Art Basel, BMW continues its longstanding support for the fair’s VIP car service.

The BMW M Hybrid V8 Art Car, designed by Mehretu, has already captivated audiences worldwide with its bold and dynamic aesthetic. Deconstructing and reconstructing her large-scale painting “Everywhen” (2021–2023), the design incorporates digitally altered photographic layers, vibrant neon colours, and Mehretu’s signature black gestural marks. Using advanced 3D mapping technology, the car reflects a powerful fusion of art and high-performance engineering. Having competed at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2024, the Art Car continues to make an impact both on the racetrack and in the art world.

Julie Mehretu describes her vision: “Working on the BMW Art Car has allowed me to explore new dimensions of movement, space, and time. This car is not just an artwork; I call it a performative painting that reaches its full expression on the racetrack.”

“The 20th BMW Art Car perfectly encapsulates the powerful symbiosis of art, technology, and design. And for over 50 years, the BMW Art Car Collection has inspired creativity, innovation, and dialogue amongst a broader global audience of art and car enthusiasts,” says Raymond Tan, Managing Director, BMW Hong Kong Services Limited.

The BMW Art Car World Tour. 
Art Basel Hong Kong marks one of many global stops for the BMW Art Car World Tour, which spans 2025 and 2026. The tour highlights the brand’s long-standing commitment to the intersection of art and mobility, with planned appearances at major events such as Taipei Dangdai, Market Art Fair, Concorso d’Eleganza, and other cultural landmarks, including automotive museums and classic car festivals. Please find the complete press release with further press material for download here.

African Film and Media Arts Collective.
In conjunction with the Art Car exhibition, BMW and Julie Mehretu together with producer Mehret Mandefro are launching the African Film and Media Arts Collective. These workshops, hosted in 2025 across cities such as Dakar, Lagos, and Cape Town, aim to foster creativity and collaboration among young African artists and filmmakers. The results of these workshops will be displayed alongside the 20th BMW Art Car at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in Cape Town in 2026.

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.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Experience the 20th BMW Art Car at Art Basel Hong Kong
March 28–30, 2025
BMW Lounge at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) Level 3 Concourse (Near Entrance 3D)
1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong SAR, China

London/Munich. BMW Group and the London Symphony Orchestra present the 13th edition of BMW Classics in London’s renowned Trafalgar Square on Sunday 15 June at 5pm. The concert highlights the continued partnership between the BMW Group and the London Symphony Orchestra, which since 2012 has brought superlative live orchestral music to audiences in one of the world’s most iconic public spaces and to tens of thousands more around the globe watching on YouTube. From this year, the concert and a selection of previous LSO concerts can also be streamed in selected BMW models.

The BMW Classics 2025 concert is conducted by new LSO Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano for the first time, and the programme celebrates his Italian heritage with the prerequisite passion and soaring melodies from some of the great Italian composers for opera and orchestra. The concert will open with the spirited overture to Rossini’s final Italian opera “Semiramide”, before Sir Antonio, renowned throughout the world as one of the great conductors of Puccini’s operas will lead the orchestra with one of the composer’s early works for orchestra, “Capriccio sinfonico”.

For the central section of the concert, the LSO play the world premiere of Isabella Gellis’ new work “Opera for Orchestra”, specially commissioned for this occasion and continuing the exploration of operatic repertoire. Her piece, written for a mixed-ability orchestra, brings together LSO and Guildhall School of Music & Drama musicians with 55 young musicians from east London as part of the LSO Discovery programmes.

For the final section of the concert, the Orchestra will perform the rousing Grand March from Verdi’s opera “Aida”, and Victor de Sabata’s exuberant symphonic poem “Juventus” (Youth).

In a new initiative starting this year, BMW drivers will also be able to stream the concert and a selection of previous LSO concerts from the comfort of their parked cars, via a dedicated app on the in-car entertainment systems of selected models. The content is made available via the Video App (DTS AutoStage Video Service Powered by TiVo™) in the latest infotainment systems of BMW and MINI*. The Video App brings together a wealth of video content from a wide range of providers, including news and live or on-demand shows. A number of streaming services are available internationally, including Joyn, Pluto TV, Bloomberg, TED, Yahoo! and Chili. These are accompanied by market-specific streaming services.

Commenting on this year’s concert, Dame Kathryn McDowell, Managing Director of the LSO said, “A big welcome to our new Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano who conducts and presents his first BMW Classics concert this year, which is always a highlight of the Orchestra’s London Season and an important fixture in London’s summer calendar of music events. On behalf of the LSO and our audiences both in Trafalgar Square and online, a big thank you to our esteemed partner BMW, and the Mayor for London for making this possible.”

Ms Ilka Horstmeier, Board Member for Human Resources and Real Estate at BMW Group: "We are very pleased to return to Trafalgar Square for BMW Classics, and to welcome Sir Antonio Pappano to conduct the concert for the first time this year. It is wonderful to celebrate the joy of classical music with so many people in the heart of London. BMW's global commitment to music and the arts has inspired people around the world for more than half a century. It is an honor for us to join the renowned London Symphony Orchestra on one of the most famous public stages in the world."

The Mayor of London, Mr Sadiq Khan: “The London Symphony Orchestra’s free performances in Trafalgar Square are a highlight of our cultural calendar. The BMW Classics are a unique chance for Londoners and visitors to enjoy world class classical music in the heart of our capital for free. It is also an incredible opportunity for young musicians to perform alongside this hugely talented orchestra, as we work to build a better London for everyone.”

Composer, Ms Isabella Gellis: “I am grateful to the London Symphony Orchestra for commissioning this piece, and I am doubly thrilled that for its premiere the LSO are forming a mega-orchestra with LSO Discovery young musicians. I cannot wait to hear them fill Trafalgar Square with sound at this year's BMW Classics.” 

BMW Classics
London Symphony Orchestra
Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano
Sunday 15 June at 5.00pm
Trafalgar Square, London

Gioachino Rossini Semiramide: Overture
Giacomo Puccini Capriccio sinfonico
Isabella Gellis Opera for Orchestra (world premiere), with young musicians from LSO Discovery
Giuseppe Verdi Aida: Grand March
Victor de Sabata Juventus

https://www.lso.co.uk/bmwclassics/

For audiences around the world, the concert will be live streamed on the London Symphony Orchestra’s YouTube Channel and Facebook page, and will be available to watch on demand from 14 days after the concert for up to 90 days.

For press material, please visit https://lso.co.uk/more/press.html.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/londonsymphonyorchestra
Instagram: www.instagram.com/londonsymphonyorchestra
@londonsymphonyorchestra
#LSOBMWClassics

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Vienna. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Car Collection, the BMW Art Car World Tour is taking place on all five continents with numerous accompanying activities and kicks off in Europe and Asia. The official start of the world tour was celebrated yesterday as part of the “(R) EVOLUTION OF ART” event at the BMW Group Niederlassung Wien. A total of five BMW Art Cars will be shown in Vienna at the Museum of Applied Arts and at the SPARK Art Fair from March 20-23: the cars by Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, David Hockney and Jeff Koons. 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 March 28-30.

“We are honored to be able to host the start of the BMW Art Car World Tour in Vienna,” says Dr. Josef Reiter, Managing Director of BMW Group Niederlassung Wien. “As the BMW Group in Austria, we see it as our responsibility to promote art and culture. The (R) EVOLUTION OF ART event is part of our commitment to provide creative impulses and inspire dialogue between artists, their works of art and audiences. We believe that innovation and creativity are inextricably linked — just as in the development of our cars. Art appeals to emotions — just like a BMW. The moment in which a vehicle triggers enthusiasm, wonder or wonder is comparable to experiencing an impressive work of art. Designers and engineers are working to create not only functionality, but also an emotional bond — whether through iconic shapes, an unmistakable driving experience or the combination of technology and aesthetics,” says Reiter.

Design accelerates change: The BMW Vision Neue Klasse X and BMW Vision Neue Klasse together in Vienna for the first time.
As part of the event, an insight into the Neue Klasse vision vehicles was also given. With the Neue Klasse, the BMW Group is making the mobility of the future a reality as early as this year. Vehicle dynamics, drive, battery technology, operating concept, digitization: Each of these aspects has been significantly further developed and, as with design, has sometimes skipped over a generation.

With the BMW Vision Neue Klasse, the BMW Group is giving a glimpse of what the next generation of vehicles from the core BMW brand will look like. The vision vehicle shows the BMW brand's new design language, which will be reflected in many other models from the brand. The new design language is clear, elegant and timeless. The new, all-electric vehicle architecture offers new interior design options.

In the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X, the aesthetics, technology and philosophy of the Neue Klasse are transferred to the sports activity vehicle sector. The vision vehicle offers a glimpse of the BMW iX3, which will go into series production at the Debrecen plant (Hungary) in 2025.

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.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement.
With over 100 projects worldwide, the BMW Group's international cultural funding has been an essential part of corporate communication for almost 50 years. The BMW Group's long-term commitment focuses on contemporary art, music and film, and design.

In addition to its own formats, such as the BMW Art Cars, and the “Opera for All” concerts, the company supports leading museums and art fairs as well as orchestras and opera houses around the world. BMW Group's commitment to culture is always based on mutual curiosity and appreciation. Despite all its cultural commitments, the company takes absolute freedom of creative potential for granted — because it guarantees groundbreaking works in art just as much as it is for innovations in a commercial enterprise. The BMW Group in Austria is involved in various cultural projects in Austria and has maintained a long-standing partnership with the Albertina Art Museum. In the area of contemporary art, BMW in Austria accompanies the music festival in Steyr and the Lido Sounds in Linz.

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

Further information on the BMW Art Car Collection can be found here.

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  

Gurugram. BMW Group India is the long-term presenting partner of the
16th edition of India Art Fair, which will take place from 6 to 9 February 2025 at the NSIC Exhibition Grounds in New Delhi. India Art Fair is the leading platform showcasing modern and contemporary art from India and South Asia and convenes audiences to explore a record 120 exhibitors, including 78 galleries, presented alongside major regional and international art institutions. The fair welcomes 26 new exhibitors, including seven new design studios in its expanded Design section features eleven eminent design studios from India and beyond. For its biggest edition yet, India Art Fair continues in its mission to showcase the very best of South Asian art alongside major contemporary international artists and collectible design by pioneering studios, reinforcing its position as the leading site for the discovery of art and culture in the region. 

Mr. Vikram Pawah, President and CEO, BMW Group India: "BMW Group India is a steadfast champion of the arts and cultural landscape across India. We take immense pride in our creative collaboration with the India Art Fair, as it continues to champion India's diverse and thriving contemporary arts landscape. Our shared vision for a future that is both creative and sustainable is perfectly encapsulated by the latest edition of 'The Future is Born of Art' Commission. This groundbreaking initiative explores how the harmonious integration of ecological and technological thinking can create a more sustainable, balanced, and regenerative world - all through the captivating lens of an artist's vision. We eagerly await the opportunity to welcome audiences from India and around the globe at the fair, where they will experience the transformative power of art and technology, united in the pursuit of a better tomorrow."

‘The Future is Born of Art’ Commission
‘The Future is Born of Art’ Commission, led by BMW India and India Art Fair is an annual commission designed to platform a promising young Indian artist on a global stage. Now in its fourth edition, the 2025 Commission invited emerging artists to propose an immersive installation centred around BMW iX1 LWB, MINI Countryman Electric and BMW Motorrad CE 02 and BMW Motorrad CE 04, reflecting on the theme of ‘Ecocentrism’. ‘Ecocentrism’ puts forward a worldview in which ecological and technological thinking coexist, imagining visions for a brighter, more sustainable future.

As winners of the prestigious ‘Future is Born of Art’ Commission, led by BMW and India Art Fair, Non-Linear (Dennis Peter) and Cursorama (Yash Chandak) join the ranks of India’s most promising artistic voices. The annual commission challenges emerging artists to create large-scale installations that explore topical themes built on shared values of BMW and India Art Fair. Previous winners, Sashikanth Thavudoz (2024), Devika Sundar (2023) and Faiza Hasan (2022), have set the stage with visionary works exploring community, materiality and ecology.

Non-Linear and Cursorama’s winning project, Biolume, is an ambitious 180-degree multimedia experience inspired by bioluminescent organisms. With interactive screens that respond to audience movements, the installation creates a feedback loop between human actions and their immersive environment. The space is filled with original sound, ranging from serene melodies to glitchy soundscapes. The installation has three dynamic scenes:

• The Surface: Hypnotic interplay of coastal waves and glowing organisms
• The Depths: Pulsating forms and evolving networks mimicking underwater life
• The Electric Abyss: A futuristic landscape merging organic and mechanical forms

Biolume integrates generative design and biomimicry to place audiences inside an abstracted, glowing oceanic world. “Bioluminescence is nature’s sci-fi—a glowing, electric language that exists in harmony with its surroundings,” Peter explains. The project underscores the role of art as a tool for fostering ecological and social dialogue. “As artists, we see it as our responsibility to reflect on how technology and art can inspire change,” says the duo.

BMW Art Talk
On the theme of ‘From Introspection to Impact: Artists Shaping the World’ a BMW Art Talk will be held on 7 February 2025 at the India Art Fair. This talk allows for a deeper introspection into the practices of artists by renowned artists Shirazeh Houshiary, Bharti Kher and Pushpamala N. with moderator Prof. Dr Thomas Girst, Head of Cultural Engagement, BMW Group. In a polarised world, artists allow us to see beyond the surface level – to think more deeply and be challenged, and to create spaces for kinship and solidarity across borders and generations. In keeping track of how the world has evolved, artists punctuate these moments with their art and bridge cultural ecosystems which is the DNA of BMW’s role in art and culture.

BMW Group India Cultural Engagement
The BMW Group has initiated and been engaged in hundreds of global cultural initiatives for over 50 years. From music to film, from architecture to design, contemporary art has played an essential role – via long-term institutional partnerships with major museums or partnering with the leading art fairs around the world, such as Art Basel and Frieze from Los Angeles, New York and Miami, to Seoul, Hong kong, Paris, and London.

Since its inception, BMW India has participated in leading cultural engagements across the country. In 2007, two BMW Art Cars embellished by world-renowned artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein were presented at the Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai. BMW Art Car by Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Sandro Chia and Cesar Manrique have been exclusively showcased at various editions of the India Art Fair.

Since its inception in 2012, BMW has partnered with Kochi-Muziris Biennale, the contemporary art exhibition, which brings international artists to India and creates a global platform for Indian artists. In 2012-13, the innovative BMW Guggenheim Lab came to India. Based at Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum and conducted at six different venues in Mumbai, the lab organised six weeks of free programmes with diverse audiences and communities addressing the challenges and conditions of the urban city.

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Melbourne. Federation Square came alive with music this past Saturday evening as thousands gathered for the highly anticipated BMW Opera for All concert. Now in its third year, the free open-air event, presented by BMW in partnership with Opera Australia - once again delivered a world-class cultural experience, celebrating the power of music and community.

This year’s concert introduced a special new addition: a prelude performance by the Australian Girls Choir, showcasing BMW’s commitment to nurturing young talent and supporting the arts at a grassroots level. Their harmonious melodies set the stage for an unforgettable night, connecting aspiring artists with some of Australia’s most celebrated opera talent.

Headlining the main performance were four of Opera Australia’s finest singers:

• Soprano Olivia Cranwell, who captivated audiences with her breathtaking rendition of operatic classics ahead of her return as Mimì in La Bohème this year.
• Mezzo-soprano Dimity Shepherd, a three-time Green Room Award winner, who brought her signature artistry following recent standout performances in Eucalyptus and Carmen.
• Tenor Shanul Sharma, known for his commanding performances in The Barber of Seville and The Magic Flute, enthralled the audience with his powerful vocals.
• Baritone Christopher Hillier, whose rich tones and dynamic stage presence added depth to an evening of timeless opera favourites.

The singers were accompanied by 20 musicians from Orchestra Victoria, under the expert baton of renowned conductor Brian Castles-Onion, who has led BMW Opera for All since its Australian inception in 2022.

Reflecting on the event, Wolfgang Buechel, CEO of BMW Group Australia, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the arts: "BMW Opera for All is a global initiative that celebrates culture, creativity, and the joy that music brings to people of all ages. We are proud to partner with Opera Australia, ensuring that world-class opera is accessible to everyone in the heart of Melbourne.”

The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.

Melbourne. Building on the remarkable success of the past two years, BMW, in partnership with Opera Australia, is excited to announce the third edition of the BMW Opera for All event. This concert returns to Melbourne’s Fed Square on Saturday, February 1, 2025, from 5pm to 7pm, promising a spectacular evening of world-class opera, free for everyone to enjoy.

For the first time, the event will introduce an exciting new edition – a 30-minute prelude performance by the Australian Girls Choir, highlighting BMW’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility by supporting arts and culture at a grassroots level. This performance will connect young, aspiring artists with award-winning operatic talent, embodying the spirit of creative collaboration. 

BMW Opera for All is a global initiative in collaboration with local opera organisations to provide world-class cultural experiences to the public for free. The 2025 Melbourne edition will feature an open-air concert with a selection of opera arias and timeless classics, making it an evening for everyone. 

Headlining the concert are four of Opera Australia’s finest opera singers:

Soprano Olivia Cranwell, acclaimed for her performance in Opera Australia’s acclaimed Ring Cycle last year and her recent role as Giorgetta in “Il tabarro” in both Opera Australia and Victorian Opera productions and will reprise her role as Mimì in “La bohème” in 2025.

Mezzo-soprano Dimity Shepherd, Melbourne born, three-time Green Room award-winner, Dimity has captivated audiences with her appearances for Opera Australia including last month’s production of “Eucalyptus” at the Palais Theatre and the title role of the national touring production of “Carmen”.

Tenor Shanul Sharma, an alumnus of Opera Australia’s Young Artist Program, Shanul has enthralled audiences in roles including Almaviva in “The Barber of Seville” and most recently as Tamino in “The Magic Flute”.

Baritone Christopher Hillier, who recently appeared as Zurga in “The Pearl Fishers”, joins the cast bringing a commanding vocal presence. This celebrated cast from Opera Australia will be accompanied by a live orchestra of 20 musicians from Orchestra Victoria, conducted by the renowned Brian Castles-Onion, who has conducted the BMW Opera for All performances for the past two years.

Wolfgang Buechel, CEO of BMW Group Australia, expressed the company’s commitment to supporting arts and culture as an essential part of its social community engagement. He stated: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with Opera Australia to bring BMW Opera for All back to Melbourne for the third consecutive year. This world-class performance not only celebrates local music talent but also brings joy to Melburnians of all ages, as well as visitors to the city, creating an inclusive celebration for the whole community to enjoy.”

Opera Australia CEO Fiona Allan said: “Opera Australia is thrilled to open up the experience of opera for so many through this free concert featuring some of Australia’s best singers. We are very grateful to BMW for its ongoing commitment to staging BMW Opera for All in Melbourne as part of this global initiative, also held in other cities renowned for their cultural life such as Munich, Berlin and London. I look forward to spending the evening in beautiful Fed Square with Victorian families and friends.”

With space to accommodate up to 8,000 attendees in Fed Square’s vibrant outdoor space, BMW Opera for All promises to be one of Australia’s largest free outdoor opera events in 2025.

Event details:
Date: Saturday, February 1, 2025
Time: 5:00pm-7pm
Location: Fed Square, CBD, Melbourne
Tickets: Free, no registration required.
More information: opera.org.au/events/bmw-opera-for-all/