One of BMW's Art Car makes an appearance at the world's only M dedicated showroom.

Photos: Low Fai Ming

The 17th BMW Art Car made its Southeast Asian debut in Singapore this week, showcased at the Munich Automobiles Showroom and Service Centre, the world’s first dedicated BMW M dealer. Based on the BMW M3 GT2, the 17th BMW Art Car is created by world renowned pop artist, Jeff Koons. As part of his creative process, Jeff Koons collected images of race cars, related graphics, vibrant colors, speed and explosions. The resulting artwork of bright colors conceived by Koons is evocative of power, motion and bursting energy. Its silver interior along with the powerful exterior design, the Art Car will impart a dynamic appearance even when it’s standing still. “These race cars are like life, they are powerful and there is a lot of energy,” said Jeff Koons. “You can participate with it, add to it and let yourself transcend with its energy. There is a lot of power under that hood and I want to let my ideas transcend with the car – it’s really to connect with that power”.

Travelling back and forth to Germany many times since the announcement that Koons would create the 17th BMW Art Car, the artist has worked with the BMW engineering and design teams to conduct in-depth explorations of materials and application options that will prove crucial to optimizing both the aesthetic and aerodynamic attributes of the race car. Working with actual 3-D computer-aided design (CAD) models of the BMW M3 GT2, Koons could simulate the application of the graphic to the car’s surfaces and evaluate it from all angles. Koons even donned a helmet and joined BMW’s American Le Mans Series race team for testing in Sebring, Florida. Koons was able to experience the BMW M3 GT2 at race speed to further inspire his design. As Koons describes it, he witnessed “the raw unfiltered performance” of the BMW M3 GT2 from the seat of a historic BMW M1 race car. Koons also drove a BMW M3 Coupe on the circuit.

Under Koons’ direct guidance and supervision, his BMW Art Car was produced in assistance with a team of BMW engineers and designers at Schmid Design, (ORT), Bavaria. The challenge to create the BMW Art Car had to do with using a light material and a design that would not interfere with the racecar\'s aerodynamics and weight. Timing was also an issue, as there was only a two month window between the first design sketches and the Paris world premiere. This is why digital print on car wrapping vinyl was used covered by a double clear-coating to bring out the color. To apply hundreds of dynamic lines of Koons\' design onto the car, CAD designs were translated from 3D into 2D for the printing process and then painstakingly applied to the entire car as well as onto individual spare parts. Koons design incorporates many bright contrasting colors to communicate the aesthetics of power. The concept design was transformed into hard-edged lines of color. Graphics of debris were added to the rear sides and back of the car to simulate the power of the car. Furthermore, two graphic rings on the rear of the car represent supersonic acceleration.

The germination of Koons’ collaboration with BMW began in 2003, when he expressed his desire to create a BMW Art Car. His relationship with BMW started more than two decades ago when he drove a BMW while residing in Munich, home to the BMW Group headquarters. Koons is known for his heartfelt appreciation of cars. Earlier this year, he was even recognized by music icon Bono of U2 as one of the ideal artists to design a car that would make the world fall in love with automobiles again.

Koons’ creative process for the BMW Art Car mirrors techniques, some borrowed from transportation design and development, which he regularly employs for his artistic production. For example, in the creation of Koons’ monumental sculptures, his studio uses 3-D CAD models to evaluate the surfaces, assembles them via methods found in bike chop shops, and paints them in a manner based on sophisticated automotive painting techniques.

In conjuncture with the display of the BMW Art Car, BMW Asia also organised a private charity auction with the National University Health System at the showroom. Inspired by the Jeff Koons’ BMW Art Car, a unique artwork titled “Velocity” has been created by :phunk - a contemporary art and design collective based in Singapore. It was the principle auction item, along with other collectables and BMW memorabilia. “Velocity” by :phunk is a digital drawing in high quality print on acrylic sheet and paper, that comprises of a dynamic layout, complex graphics and vivid colours evocative of the high octane colours, speed and explosion graphics of the Jeff Koons’ Art Car.

All proceeds collected at the auction will be donated to the NUH Patientcare National Charity Fund to raise funds and provide financial assistance for underprivileged patients.

Jeffrey "Jeff" Koons with the final artwork before its debut in Paris, June 2010. This exact car also participated in the 24 Hours Le Mans race. (Photo courtesy of BMW Asia)