BMW loans the Petersen Museum a trio of Art Cars (plus one)

The 2009 BMW Z4 used to create “An Expression of Joy” with artist Robin Rhode (L) and director Jake Scott. Photos courtesy BMW AG.

The Petersen Automotive Museum officially reopens to the public on Monday, December 7, and among its new attractions will be the Armand Hammer Foundation Gallery, presented by BMW of North America. The first display will center on BMW Art Cars, featuring three of the line’s better known examples, along with a Z4 Roadster that, while not an Art Car, still has significant ties to the brand’s support of the arts.

1975 BMW 3.0 CSL, by Alexander Calder.

The car that began it all was a 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL painted by American artist Alexander Calder in broad strokes of primary colors. Created at the request of Herve Poulain, a French auctioneer and racing driver, the BMW was campaigned in the 1975 24 Hours of Le Mans by Sam Posey, Jean Guichet and Poulain himself, but retired with a broken drive shaft less than a third of the way into the race. Calder died in New York City the following year, making the BMW among his final contributions to the art world.

1990 BMW 535i, by Matazo Kayama.

Japanese artist Matazo Kayama was enlisted to paint a 1990 BMW 535i, and he based his creation on Snow, Moon and Cherry Blossoms, artwork originally crafted for the Tokyo National Museum of Arts. The installation blends airbrush techniques with more traditional Japanese mediums, such as foil printing (Arare) and metal cutting (Kirigane).

1995 BMW 850 CSi, by David Hockney.

David Hockney, a British artist now lining in the United States, was given the task of creating the 14^th Art Car from a 1995 BMW 850 CSi. Hockney’s style typically depicts people within their environment, which explains his focus on turning the 850 CSi inside out. While the driver and his dog are readily apparent in this left side view of the car, other angles depict the car’s intake manifold, the motion of air over its wheels and tires, its suspension and the green landscape of the hills around his California home.

Technically, the 2009 BMW Z4 seen in the exhibit isn’t an Art Car, though its wheels, tires and flanks are splattered with paint. Instead, and as a method of launching the second-generation BMW Z4 Roadster, it was used by artist Robin Rhode to create a massive 100×200 foot canvas called “Expression of Joy.” Rhode didn’t drive the car himself, but instead directed the car’s path and determined where and how the colors were applied.

The Art Cars, along with the 2009 Z4 used by Robin Rhode, will be on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum throughout 2016. For additional information, visit Petersen.org.