Since 1975, 20 renowned international artists have created BMW Art Cars. The “rolling sculptures” – from Alexander Calder’s first-ever Art Car to Julie Mehretu’s latest – offer an impressive cross-section of art history over the past five decades. To mark the anniversary, the BMW Art Car World Tour features the largest exhibition programme in the history of the series, spanning all five continents.
“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,” says Ilka Horstmeier, Board Member for Human Resources and Real Estate at BMW Group.
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 BMW Art Car World Tour kicks off in Europe and Asia. On 20-21 March, BMW Art Cars by Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, David Hockney and Jeff Koons will be showcased in Vienna at the Museum of Applied Arts and the SPARK Art Fair. Meanwhile, the 20th BMW Art Car by Julie Mehretu will embark on an Asian tour and be displayed at Art Basel in Hong Kong (28-30 March).
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.
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.
Next to a special exhibition at the BMW Museum, upcoming stops of the tour include international art fairs (et al. Art Dubai, Market Art Fair in Stockholm) and institutions as well as museums and platforms for classic automobiles (e.g. Concorso d’Eleganza at Lake Como, Louwman Museum in The Hague).
In addition to the tour, BMW is releasing various lifestyle products and art car miniatures as well as a new book in celebration of the anniversary.
“I love that car. It has turned out better than the artwork.”
Andy Warhol, BMW Art Car #4, 1979
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. (PRNewswire)
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