Munich. In the wake of the further development of BMW
Individual, BMW M GmbH will be presenting its latest collaboration, a
multi-tiered project with eminent international contemporary artist
FUTURA 2000. The partnership will debut at Frieze Los Angeles 2020. In
this collaboration, FUTURA 2000, who is known for his mastery of
colour, concentric forms, and kinetic composition, will create three
exclusive and unique versions of the BMW M2 Competition (combined fuel
consumption: 10.0 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 227 g/km) in his
unmistakable style, whilst also designing a limited-edition series of
the BMW M2 Competition which is scheduled for public purchase in June
2020. One of the hand-painted BMW M2 by Futura vehicles will celebrate
its world premiere at the second Frieze Los Angeles – being held at
the Paramount Pictures Studios in Hollywood from 13 to 16 February.
FUTURA 2000, born Leonard Hilton McGurr, established himself as a
pioneer when graffiti met the formal gallery ecosystem in the 1980s.
He quickly became known for his radical approach on the street,
introducing abstraction to an entirely letter based discipline, and
found himself part of a wider art movement that included the likes of
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Dondi White. Aside from his
decades-long career as a contemporary artist, he has achieved great
success as a commercial artist, collaborating with several well-known brands.
With the unique BMW M2 by Futura and the BMW M2 Edition Futura,
BMW M GmbH is setting trends both in the high-performance vehicle
sector and the art scene.
About Futura 2000
FUTURA 2000, born Leonard Hilton McGurr, became a pioneer when
graffiti met the formal gallery ecosystem in the 1980s. Known for his
radical approach in the street, he introduced abstraction to an
entirely letter-based discipline. His work caught attention in the
1980s, and he found himself as part of a wider art movement that
included the likes of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Dondi
White. Entirely self-taught in what he calls “the subway school”,
FUTURA 2000 has been compared to Kandinsky for his mastery of colour,
concentric forms, and kinetic composition—and friends Basquiat, Kenny
Scharf, and Rammellzee for his progressiveness and of-the moment dynamism.
Radical then, his methodology can now be viewed over a span of
decades as something consummately pure. When compared to many street
artists who have come along since its seminal moment in the 1980s New
York, FUTURA 2000’s work still stands apart for its subtlety, use of
white space, and elemental quality. Insight and proficiency have kept
him relevant for 40+ years with no signs of slowing down. He has also
achieved great success as a commercial artist, having collaborated
with several well-known brands.
About BMW Group Cultural Engagement
For almost 50 years now, the BMW Group has initiated and engaged in
over 100 cultural cooperations worldwide. The company places the main
focus of its long-term commitment on contemporary and modern art,
classical music and jazz as well as architecture and design. In 1972,
three large-scale paintings were created by the artist Gerhard Richter
specifically for the foyer of the BMW Group’s Munich headquarters.
Since then, artists such as Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Daniel Barenboim,
Jonas Kaufmann and architect Zaha Hadid have co-operated with BMW. In
2016 and 2017, female artist Cao Fei from China and American John
Baldessari created the next two vehicles for the BMW Art Car
Collection. Besides co-initiatives, such as BMW Tate Live, the BMW Art
Journey and the “Opera for All” concerts in Berlin, Munich, Moscow and
London, the company also partners with leading museums and art fairs
as well as orchestras and opera houses around the world. As part of
its art programme “Muse”, Rolls-Royce partners for the initiative “The
Dream Commission” with two internationally esteemed art institutions.
Together with Fondation Beyeler and Serpentine Galleries, emerging and
established artists are invited to submit a moving-image work that
delivers an immersive sensory experience. The artists are nominated
and chosen by renowned personalities of the art world like Daniel,
Birnbaum, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Cao Fei, and Theodora Vischer. BMW Group
takes absolute creative freedom in all its cultural activities for
granted – as this initiative is as essential for producing
groundbreaking artistic work as it is for major innovations in a
successful business.
Further information: www.bmwgroup.com/culture
and www.bmwgroup.com/culture/overview
The BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW
Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and
motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services.
The BMW Group production network comprises 31 production and assembly
facilities in 15 countries; the company has a global sales network in
more than 140 countries.
In 2019, the BMW Group sold over 2,520,000 passenger vehicles and
more than 175,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the
financial year 2018 was € 9.815 billion on revenues amounting to
€ 97.480 billion. As of 31 December 2018, the BMW Group had a
workforce of 134,682 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term
thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established
ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain,
comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to
conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.
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