10
Classic
Gallery: when BMW’s Art Cars came to London
Take a trip through an empty car park full of BMW's multicolour heroes
BMW's Art Car project started in 1975, when French auctioneer and racing fan Herve Poulain wanted to combine his love of racing and art in one. Since then, the likes of Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein, Jenny Holzer, Frank Stella and Jeff Koons have all done their thing on various Bimmers.
Years ago, BMW flew its amazing Art Cars over from Germany and placed them over six floors of a public car park in the hipster-haven of Shoreditch, East London. We had to see them. We even took a few photos while we were there, just so you can tilt your head sideways, readjust the focus of your spectacles and pretend to be a bona fide art critic.
*WARNING: The following gallery contains Artist Quotes*
Pictures: Rowan Horncastle
Advertisement - Page continues belowBMW M3 GT2
By Jeff Koons, 2010. "These racing cars are like life, they are bursting with power. My design is meant to represent the energy of the BMW M3 GT2."
BMW Z1
By A.R Penck, 1991.
Advertisement - Page continues belowBMW Z1
"Art on art, art on technology - I was interested in that - especially art on a three-dimensional object. I was also interested in getting to grips with the technical design."
BMW 3 Series Touring Car
By Sandro Chia, 1992.
BMW 3 Series Touring Car
"You can see the beauty of the car and yourself reflected in the surface. It is an interchange of beauty."
BMW M3
By Michael Jagamara Nelson, 1989.
Advertisement - Page continues belowBMW M3
"The car is a landscape like you'd see from a plane. I included the water, the kagaroo and the opossum."
BMW M1
By Andy Warhol, 1979.
Advertisement - Page continues belowBMW M1
“I love that car. It has turned out better than the artwork.”
BMW 525i
By Esther Mahlangu, 1991.
BMW 525i
"The patterns I used in the BMW design bring together our heritage and the modernity of the car."
BMW 3.0 CSL
By Frank Stella, 1976.
BMW 3.0 CSL
"My design is like a blueprint transferred onto the body."
BMW 635 CSI
By Robert Rauschenberg, 1986.
BMW 635 CSI
"Taking the first step was extremely difficult. It was like being alone in a room with a beautiful virgin."
BMW 535i
By Matazo Kayama, 1990.
BMW 535i
"I became most aware of the clear lines of the BMW once the car was completely covered with the colourful design."
BMW M3
By Ken Done, 1989.
BMW M3
"I wanted the car to look like it was moving even when stationary."
BMW 730i
By Cesar Manrique, 1990.
BMW 730i
"When I think of speed, I immediately think of butterflies and dragonflies."
BMW 635 CSI
By Ernst Fuchs, 1982.
BMW 635 CSI
"The perception of speed as you whizz by, the longing to transcend time and space, all this inspired while I painted the BMW coupe."
BMW V12 LMR
By Jenny Holzer, 1999.
BMW V12 LMR
"I, like many people, prefer speed, and they [racing cars] are beautiful to see and to run your hands over."
BMW 3.0 CSL
By Alexander Calder, 1975.
BMW 3.0 CSL
"When everything is perfect, there is no fulfilment."
BMW 320i
By Roy Lichtenstein, 1977.
BMW 320i
"I wanted the lines I painted to be a depiction of the road showing the car where to go."
BMW 850 CSI
By David Hockney, 1995.
BMW 850 CSI
"The car has wonderful lines, which I followed. I thought it would be a good idea to show the car as if one could see inside."
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