Latest BMW Art Car: more art, less car

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<table border='0' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='1'><tr><td><img src='http://photos.freenewmexican.com/2007/10/03/60691_375x375.jpg' border='0' width='375' height='248' usemap='#imgmap60691_375x248' ismap /><map name='imgmap60691_375x248'><area shape='rect' coords='0,0,375,248' href='#' onclick='window.open("/slideshow.php?storyid=69862&galleryid=&photoid=60691", "slideshow", "width=700,height=700,resizable,scrollbars"); return false;' alt='' /></map></td><td valign='top' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/r.gif);'><img src='/images/shadow/tr.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr><tr><td align='left' class='small' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/bl.gif);'><div><div class='caption'>BMW H2R, Olafur Eliasson, 2007</div></div></td><td valign='top'><img src='/images/shadow/br.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr></table>
<table border='0' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='1'><tr><td><img src='http://photos.freenewmexican.com/2007/10/03/60692_375x375.jpg' border='0' width='375' height='227' usemap='#imgmap60692_375x227' ismap /><map name='imgmap60692_375x227'><area shape='rect' coords='0,0,375,227' href='#' onclick='window.open("/slideshow.php?storyid=69862&galleryid=&photoid=60692", "slideshow", "width=700,height=700,resizable,scrollbars"); return false;' alt='' /></map></td><td valign='top' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/r.gif);'><img src='/images/shadow/tr.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr><tr><td align='left' class='small' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/bl.gif);'><div><div class='caption'>1. BMW H2R, Olafur Eliasson, 2007</div></div></td><td valign='top'><img src='/images/shadow/br.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr></table>
<table border='0' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='1'><tr><td><img src='http://photos.freenewmexican.com/2007/10/03/60693_375x375.jpg' border='0' width='375' height='276' usemap='#imgmap60693_375x276' ismap /><map name='imgmap60693_375x276'><area shape='rect' coords='0,0,375,276' href='#' onclick='window.open("/slideshow.php?storyid=69862&galleryid=&photoid=60693", "slideshow", "width=700,height=700,resizable,scrollbars"); return false;' alt='' /></map></td><td valign='top' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/r.gif);'><img src='/images/shadow/tr.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr><tr><td align='left' class='small' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/bl.gif);'><div><div class='caption'>2. What the BMW H2R used to look like.</div></div></td><td valign='top'><img src='/images/shadow/br.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr></table>
<table border='0' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='1'><tr><td><img src='http://photos.freenewmexican.com/2007/10/03/60694_375x375.jpg' border='0' width='375' height='277' usemap='#imgmap60694_375x277' ismap /><map name='imgmap60694_375x277'><area shape='rect' coords='0,0,375,277' href='#' onclick='window.open("/slideshow.php?storyid=69862&galleryid=&photoid=60694", "slideshow", "width=700,height=700,resizable,scrollbars"); return false;' alt='' /></map></td><td valign='top' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/r.gif);'><img src='/images/shadow/tr.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr><tr><td align='left' class='small' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/bl.gif);'><div><div class='caption'>3. BMW 3.0 CSL, Alexander Calder, 1975</div></div></td><td valign='top'><img src='/images/shadow/br.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr></table>
<table border='0' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='1'><tr><td><img src='http://photos.freenewmexican.com/2007/10/03/60695_375x375.jpg' border='0' width='375' height='281' usemap='#imgmap60695_375x281' ismap /><map name='imgmap60695_375x281'><area shape='rect' coords='0,0,375,281' href='#' onclick='window.open("/slideshow.php?storyid=69862&galleryid=&photoid=60695", "slideshow", "width=700,height=700,resizable,scrollbars"); return false;' alt='' /></map></td><td valign='top' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/r.gif);'><img src='/images/shadow/tr.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr><tr><td align='left' class='small' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/bl.gif);'><div><div class='caption'>4. BMW 3.0 CSL, Frank Stella, 1976</div></div></td><td valign='top'><img src='/images/shadow/br.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr></table>
<table border='0' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='1'><tr><td><img src='http://photos.freenewmexican.com/2007/10/03/60696_375x375.jpg' border='0' width='375' height='281' usemap='#imgmap60696_375x281' ismap /><map name='imgmap60696_375x281'><area shape='rect' coords='0,0,375,281' href='#' onclick='window.open("/slideshow.php?storyid=69862&galleryid=&photoid=60696", "slideshow", "width=700,height=700,resizable,scrollbars"); return false;' alt='' /></map></td><td valign='top' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/r.gif);'><img src='/images/shadow/tr.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr><tr><td align='left' class='small' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/bl.gif);'><div><div class='caption'>5. BMW 320i, Roy Lichtenstein, 1977</div></div></td><td valign='top'><img src='/images/shadow/br.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr></table>
<table border='0' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='1'><tr><td><img src='http://photos.freenewmexican.com/2007/10/03/60697_375x375.jpg' border='0' width='375' height='276' usemap='#imgmap60697_375x276' ismap /><map name='imgmap60697_375x276'><area shape='rect' coords='0,0,375,276' href='#' onclick='window.open("/slideshow.php?storyid=69862&galleryid=&photoid=60697", "slideshow", "width=700,height=700,resizable,scrollbars"); return false;' alt='' /></map></td><td valign='top' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/r.gif);'><img src='/images/shadow/tr.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr><tr><td align='left' class='small' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/bl.gif);'><div><div class='caption'>6. BMW M1, Andy Warhol, 1979: Warhol was the first artist to paint the car directly, instead of first painting a design on a model.</div></div></td><td valign='top'><img src='/images/shadow/br.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr></table>
<table border='0' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='1'><tr><td><img src='http://photos.freenewmexican.com/2007/10/03/60698_375x375.jpg' border='0' width='375' height='281' usemap='#imgmap60698_375x281' ismap /><map name='imgmap60698_375x281'><area shape='rect' coords='0,0,375,281' href='#' onclick='window.open("/slideshow.php?storyid=69862&galleryid=&photoid=60698", "slideshow", "width=700,height=700,resizable,scrollbars"); return false;' alt='' /></map></td><td valign='top' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/r.gif);'><img src='/images/shadow/tr.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr><tr><td align='left' class='small' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/bl.gif);'><div><div class='caption'>7. BMW 635 CSi, Ernst Fuchs, 1982</div></div></td><td valign='top'><img src='/images/shadow/br.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr></table>
<table border='0' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='1'><tr><td><img src='http://photos.freenewmexican.com/2007/10/03/60699_375x375.jpg' border='0' width='375' height='276' usemap='#imgmap60699_375x276' ismap /><map name='imgmap60699_375x276'><area shape='rect' coords='0,0,375,276' href='#' onclick='window.open("/slideshow.php?storyid=69862&galleryid=&photoid=60699", "slideshow", "width=700,height=700,resizable,scrollbars"); return false;' alt='' /></map></td><td valign='top' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/r.gif);'><img src='/images/shadow/tr.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr><tr><td align='left' class='small' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/bl.gif);'><div><div class='caption'>8. BMW 635 CSi, Robert Rauschenberg, 1986: Rauschenberg’s was the first production BMW Art Car — the others had been racecars first.</div></div></td><td valign='top'><img src='/images/shadow/br.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr></table>
<table border='0' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='1'><tr><td><img src='http://photos.freenewmexican.com/2007/10/03/60700_375x375.jpg' border='0' width='375' height='265' usemap='#imgmap60700_375x265' ismap /><map name='imgmap60700_375x265'><area shape='rect' coords='0,0,375,265' href='#' onclick='window.open("/slideshow.php?storyid=69862&galleryid=&photoid=60700", "slideshow", "width=700,height=700,resizable,scrollbars"); return false;' alt='' /></map></td><td valign='top' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/r.gif);'><img src='/images/shadow/tr.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr><tr><td align='left' class='small' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/bl.gif);'><div><div class='caption'>9. BMW M3, Ken Done, 1989</div></div></td><td valign='top'><img src='/images/shadow/br.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr></table>
<table border='0' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='1'><tr><td><img src='http://photos.freenewmexican.com/2007/10/03/60701_375x375.jpg' border='0' width='375' height='276' usemap='#imgmap60701_375x276' ismap /><map name='imgmap60701_375x276'><area shape='rect' coords='0,0,375,276' href='#' onclick='window.open("/slideshow.php?storyid=69862&galleryid=&photoid=60701", "slideshow", "width=700,height=700,resizable,scrollbars"); return false;' alt='' /></map></td><td valign='top' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/r.gif);'><img src='/images/shadow/tr.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr><tr><td align='left' class='small' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/bl.gif);'><div><div class='caption'>10. BMW M3, Michael Jagamara Nelson, 1989</div></div></td><td valign='top'><img src='/images/shadow/br.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr></table>
<table border='0' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='1'><tr><td><img src='http://photos.freenewmexican.com/2007/10/03/60702_375x375.jpg' border='0' width='257' height='375' usemap='#imgmap60702_257x375' ismap /><map name='imgmap60702_257x375'><area shape='rect' coords='0,0,257,375' href='#' onclick='window.open("/slideshow.php?storyid=69862&galleryid=&photoid=60702", "slideshow", "width=700,height=700,resizable,scrollbars"); return false;' alt='' /></map></td><td valign='top' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/r.gif);'><img src='/images/shadow/tr.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr><tr><td align='left' class='small' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/bl.gif);'><div><div class='caption'>11. BMW 535i, Matazo Kayama, 1990</div></div></td><td valign='top'><img src='/images/shadow/br.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr></table>
<table border='0' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='1'><tr><td><img src='http://photos.freenewmexican.com/2007/10/03/60703_375x375.jpg' border='0' width='375' height='275' usemap='#imgmap60703_375x275' ismap /><map name='imgmap60703_375x275'><area shape='rect' coords='0,0,375,275' href='#' onclick='window.open("/slideshow.php?storyid=69862&galleryid=&photoid=60703", "slideshow", "width=700,height=700,resizable,scrollbars"); return false;' alt='' /></map></td><td valign='top' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/r.gif);'><img src='/images/shadow/tr.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr><tr><td align='left' class='small' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/bl.gif);'><div><div class='caption'>12. BMW 730i, César Manrique, 1990</div></div></td><td valign='top'><img src='/images/shadow/br.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr></table>
<table border='0' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='1'><tr><td><img src='http://photos.freenewmexican.com/2007/10/03/60704_375x375.jpg' border='0' width='375' height='276' usemap='#imgmap60704_375x276' ismap /><map name='imgmap60704_375x276'><area shape='rect' coords='0,0,375,276' href='#' onclick='window.open("/slideshow.php?storyid=69862&galleryid=&photoid=60704", "slideshow", "width=700,height=700,resizable,scrollbars"); return false;' alt='' /></map></td><td valign='top' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/r.gif);'><img src='/images/shadow/tr.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr><tr><td align='left' class='small' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/bl.gif);'><div><div class='caption'>13. BMW 525i, Esther Mahlangu, 1991</div></div></td><td valign='top'><img src='/images/shadow/br.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr></table>
<table border='0' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='1'><tr><td><img src='http://photos.freenewmexican.com/2007/10/03/60705_375x375.jpg' border='0' width='375' height='281' usemap='#imgmap60705_375x281' ismap /><map name='imgmap60705_375x281'><area shape='rect' coords='0,0,375,281' href='#' onclick='window.open("/slideshow.php?storyid=69862&galleryid=&photoid=60705", "slideshow", "width=700,height=700,resizable,scrollbars"); return false;' alt='' /></map></td><td valign='top' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/r.gif);'><img src='/images/shadow/tr.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr><tr><td align='left' class='small' style='background-image: url(/images/shadow/bl.gif);'><div><div class='caption'>14. BMW Z1, A. R. Penck, 1991</div></div></td><td valign='top'><img src='/images/shadow/br.gif' width='10' height='10' border='0' /></td></tr></table>

BMW H2R, Olafur Eliasson, 2007

Drive
October 3, 2007

It was French racing driver Hervé Poulain who first commissioned an artist — his friend Alexander Calder — to paint his BMW racecar in the early 1970s, and this was the spark that led BMW to develop the Art Car program.

Since 1975, prominent artists from throughout the world have used BMW automobiles as their canvasses. The BMW Art Car Collection includes 16 works by prominent artists — including David Hockney, Jenny Holzer, Roy Lichtenstein, Frank Stella, Robert Rauschenberg and Andy Warhol.

Latest model: Through Jan. 13, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art will present the exhibition “Your tempo: Olafur Eliasson,” which includes the first public presentation and only U.S. engagement of the latest Art Car, if you can really still consider it an equal mix of the former and the latter. From the news release:

Eliasson’s project transforms an object of industrial design into a work of art that critically and poetically reflects on the relationship between global warming and the auto industry. The BMW H2R, a hydrogen-powered racecar, was developed to attain speed records while pursuing a sustainable future using regenerative fuel. Eliasson has removed the car’s outer shell and replaced it with a complex, translucent skin made of steel mesh, reflective steel panels and many layers of ice.

The car, officially called Your mobile expectations: BMW H2R project, was constructed on-site: Fitted with Eliasson’s steel-mesh and reflective-steel covering, the car frame was sprayed with 530 gallons of water over the course of several days to gradually create layers of ice. Lit from within and glowing in its frozen atmosphere, the work measures more than 5 feet high, 17 feet long, and 8 feet wide — or about the size of a slammed Chevy Tahoe.

Chronological list of BMW Art Cars:

Alexander Calder (USA) 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL
Frank Stella (USA) 1976 BMW 3.0 CSL
Roy Lichtenstein (USA) 1977 BMW 320i Group 5 Race Version
Andy Warhol (USA) 1979 BMW M1 Group 4 Race Version
Ernst Fuchs (Austria) 1982 BMW 635 CSi
Robert Rauschenberg (USA) 1986 BMW 635 CSi
Michael Jagamara Nelson (Australia) 1989 BMW 635 CSi
Ken Done (Australia) 1989 BMW M3 Group A Race Version
Matazo Kayama (Japan) 1990 BMW 535i
César Manrique (Spain) 1990 BMW 730i
A.R. Penck (Germany) 1991 BMW Z1
Esther Mahlangu (South Africa) 1991 BMW 525i
Sandro Chia (Italy) 1992 BMW 3 Series Racing Prototype
David Hockney (Great Britain) 1995 BMW 850CSi
Jenny Holzer (USA) 1999 BMW V12 LMR
Olafur Eliasson (Denmark) 2007 BMW H2R

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