When Art Replaces Sponsors: BMW’s Pioneering Project
04 November 2023 7 min read 7 images
Photo credit: Bonhams, BMW
People of true quality are rarely just talented in one field: being a car enthusiast and driver, an art expert who personally knows great artists of the day, and an auctioneer capable of creating the great Parisian establishment Artcurial is surely a promising mix. Even more promising if these qualities come together to create a positive vision for the future during a time of international crisis. It’s 1975, and the oil crisis has dampened the economy and spirits, when 34-year-old Hervé Poulain suggests to BMW that they have the 3.0 CSL he will race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans decorated by the giant of American Pop Art, Alexander Calder. Though older, Calder was thrilled by the idea and adorned the car with the primary colors he frequently used, turning it into a genuine work of art. The spark had been ignited: BMW recognized the image and prestige potential of this choice, and thus was born the now-celebrated BMW Art Car Collection, presented this week on Roarington as we showcase select BMW Art Cars in racing.
The idea resonated with the public so much that two years later, at Le Mans, a BMW 320i Turbo interpreted by another great Pop Art icon, Roy Lichtenstein, took to the track. The artist, using graphic elements he famously incorporated into his comic-themed works, managed to imbue the car with a dynamic energy perfectly aligned with its racing mission. The interest generated by Poulain’s idea, and his privilege of driving these cars in competition, launched an authentic collection.
It’s hard to exclude famous artists, and the choice of Andy Warhol speaks for itself. The M1 proposed to him was personally painted by the artist, aiming to convey speed and dynamism without compromising the model’s character.
Another M1, this time decorated by Frank Stella, wasn’t driven by Poulain but by an American crew and was inspired by the artist’s love of racing, as well as his tribute to his friend and driver Ronnie Peterson, lost at Monza. This car, unofficially part of the BMW Art Car collection, spent some time at the Guggenheim Gallery before being auctioned by Bonhams and acquired by the BMW Southampton owner in America, where it is displayed in his showroom.
The BMW M3 GTR by Italian Sandro Chia is also interesting, though very different in style. A visionary figurative artist, he adorned the car with classic faces that appear serene yet harbor a deeper intensity.
Magnificent for its unmistakable message of speed, the seventeenth artwork in the BMW Art Car collection is the BMW M3 GT2, created by Jeff Koons. It’s amusing to know that, during the study and application of colorful adhesive stripes, the artist even prepared a set of replacements. You never know what might happen during the race!
We conclude with the most recent addition, the BMW M Hybrid, marking a milestone as the first Art Car to aim for an outright win at the 24 Hours. The artist, American Julie Mehretu, will see her creation displayed permanently at the famed MoMA in New York once it retires from racing. Congratulations to Hervé Poulain for his inspired idea and his achievement of ten participations in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, not as a professional but, rather, as a master of the art of communication.
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