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Since 1975, 19 artists from around the world have created a BMW Art Car using a contemporary model from the German marque. This year’s edition, an M6 GT3 released today at the Minsheng Art Museum in Beijing, is undoubtedly the most unusual and forward-looking Art Car yet. Created by multimedia artist Cao Fei—who, born in 1978, is the youngest artist, the third woman, and the only Chinese citizen in the series’ history—the final product is comprised of three distinct components. These elements of Cao’s complete work include the car itself, painted in carbon black; a short film about a time-traveling spiritual practitioner, titled Unmanned; and a free app, which employs both virtual and augmented reality. The viewer is meant to witness all three elements together, creating an immersive and interactive experience.
Asked to describe the piece’s significance, Cao says, “My work has been focusing on the people living here [in China]—an observation of the society and how urbanization and technology advancements brought changes to us, to the society, and the world as a whole.”
“By employing AR, VR, video art, and an app, her focus is both on ancient Eastern traditions ... [and] the rapid changes China is undergoing today,” says Thomas Girst, head of cultural engagement at BMW Group. Widely considered the most significant Chinese artist of her generation, Cao was unanimously selected by an international jury of museum directors from the Tate, the Whitney, and the Guggenheim, among other institutions. “After the world premiere,” adds Girst, “we are looking forward to her car winning its spurs on the racetrack [at] the FIA GT World Cup in Macau later this year.”
In summation of her Art Car, which took three years to create, Cao says, “I would like to hand over the ‘painting’ rights—the rights to ‘art’—and give it to the mysterious ‘medium’—body and senses, affections and actions, the fiction and the real, the past and the future. All to be included and blended together.”
