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BMW Art Cars Exhibit Goes on Display in London

Timed for the Olympics, the exhibit features 16 BMWs painted by the likes of Andy Warhol and David Hockney.

By Claire_Martin Jul 9, 2012 1:32PM
The BMW Art Car by Jeff Koons. Photo by BMW.A London parking garage will be transformed into an art gallery for two weeks starting later this month. The artwork on display: the BMW Art Cars, a fleet of 16 BMWs whose exteriors were painted by world-famous artists over the past 35 years.

American artist Jeff Koons contributed an M3 GT2 that's intended to look like it's in constant motion. The car (pictured left) competed in the 24 Hours of LeMans in 2010. British artist David Hockney painted his vision of a BMW's interior onto the body of an 850 CSi, including internal engine parts and a passenger -- his favorite dachshund. 

The exhibit, which will take place on six floors within the parking garage, is part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, a four-year cultural celebration that culminates with various London exhibitions this summer. But for those car enthusiasts who aren't planning to be in London for the Olympics, BMW has created a micro-site with an online tour of the exhibit. It features photos of the cars and videos explaining how each one was created, with artist interviews and footage of the artists painting the cars. 

Video highlights include informational tidbits about the cars -- like the fact that Andy Warhol brought his entire entourage with him to Munich to paint his 1979 BMW M1 canvas ... right before it was to compete in LeMans. It only took him 28 minutes to create his materpiece, which has become the most expensive BMW in the company's history. "I love that car. It turned out better than artwork," Warhol said.

Other artists whose work will be featured include Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, Alexander Calder and Frank Stella.

[Source: BMW]
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