One of the major head turners at the ongoing 8th edition of the India Art Fair is a colourfully gorgeous Art Car by BMW, which has come on board as the official partner for the event this year.
Spanish artist and architect Cesar Manrique in the year 1990 created a beautiful riot of colours on the BMW 730i, as part of the automobile giant's Art Car Project collection that till date features 17 such cars.
Manrique, architect, graphic designer, sculptor and landscape designer, painted eyes on the 730i's rear view mirrors to give an impression of the car watching you.
The car is the 10th of the company's Art Car Project Collection of 17 such "rolling sculptures" painted by iconic artists like Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons.
"The BMW Art Cars are an indispensable component and a core platform of our cultural engagement. They are unique creations combining automobiles, technology, design and art," Philipp von Sahr, President, BMW India, said.
The international auto giant which has moved into a three year agreement with the IAF as official partners, has also tied up with DLF for a two month public initiative of engagement with art.
Meanwhile Manrique's execution of the artwork on the 730i involves a riot of colours in graceful motions of rolling and sweeping lines.
Dynamic forms along with glowing red, green, blue and violet tones convey the impression of supple movement. The idea, according to the artist, was one of a bird in flight.
The conservationist in Manrique inspired him to design the Art Car that "embodied a harmonious combination of technology and nature."
"That's why I thought of designing the car in such a way as to give the impression of being able to glide through the air without any resistance," the artist who passed away in a road accident two years after he designed the car said in a statement.
Several of the BMW Art Cars are usually on display at the BMW Museum in Munich as part of its permanent collection. The remaining Art Cars travel the globe to art fairs and exhibitions.
In 2007, the BMW Art Car Project brought to Mumbai's Jehangir Art Gallery two cars painted by the iconic Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein for an exhibition.
