Julie Mehretu Appointed to Design 20th BMW Art Car

BMW announced its collaboration with renowned artist Julie Mehretu. The announcement took place at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Julie is a respected artist from New York. An international jury selected Mehretu unanimously. Thirteen museum directors and curators were part of it. The jury included figures like Hans Ulrich Obrist from Serpentine Galleries and Richard Armstrong from the Guggenheim. Mehretu’s BMW M Hybrid V8 Art Car will debut at the Le Mans 24-hour race in June 2024. This continues a nearly 50-year-old tradition. This event excites not only motorsport fans. It also captivates those interested in art, technology, design, and mobility.

Historical Context of the Event

Since 1975, artists like Alexander Calder, Frank Stella, and Roy Lichtenstein have designed vehicles for BMW. Others include Andy Warhol, Esther Mahlangu, Jenny Holzer, Jeff Koons, Cao Fei, and John Baldessari. Julie Mehretu has always loved cars, as toys, objects, and possibilities. She is thrilled to work on the next BMW Art Car. She also looks forward to exploring hybrid and fully electric vehicles. Besides the vehicle, Mehretu’s concept includes Translocal Media Workshops. These will take place in eight African cities. The results of the workshops, together with the 20th BMW Art Car, will be presented at the Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town in 2025.