BMW Art Car reloaded: Chinese multimedia artist Cao Fei takes the series into the 21st Century by going digital,with the World Premiere of the latest BMW Art Car at the Minsheng Art Museum in Beijing.
Cao Fei’s work is a reflection on the speed of change in China, on tradition and future. With her BMW Art Car project, she delves into a trajectory spanning thousands of years, paying tribute to Asia’s ancient spiritual wisdom as it swiftly spreads out into the third millennium.
The body of work consists of three different components: a video focusing on a time travelling spiritual practitioner, augmented reality features picturing colorful light particles, accessible via a dedicated app (App Store: keyword “BMW Art Car #18”), and the BMW M6 GT3 race-car in its original carbon black. Paying tribute to the carbon fibre structure of the race-car chassis, Cao Fei’s holistic use of a non-reflective black incorporates the car into the possibilities of the digital world.
Following her announcement, over three years, Cao Fei took part in a racing experience with female race driver Cyndie Allemann in Switzerland in 2015. During manifold visits to headquarters, she worked closely with BMW Group’s engineers, designers, and digital specialists. For her research, the artist also went on an extended BMW plant visit to Tiexi.
