With the exhibition “BMW ART CARS – 20 ARTISTS, 50 YEARS OF INNOVATION. REUNITED AT BMW WELT”, BMW is bringing together all the “rolling sculptures” created over the past 50 years in one place for the first time. The exhibition marks the grand finale of the BMW Art Car World Tour, which has visited over 30 countries to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Art Car collection. A particular highlight of the exhibition in Munich is the “BMW H2R Project”. The 16th Art Car, designed by the renowned contemporary artist Olafur Eliasson and based on the hydrogen-powered H2R racing car prototype, has only been shown to the public as a complete installation three times since its world premiere in 2007.
When we prepared the first automotive art installation with Alexander Calder for the 24-hour race at Le Mans, we assumed it would be a one-off event. I would never have dreamed that it would become the world's most important automotive art series.
THE BEGINNING: A BOLD IDEA.
THE BEGINNING: A BOLD IDEA.
1975 saw the birth of the BMW Art Car Collection. The year before, the French racing driver and art auctioneer Hervé Poulain had approached Jochen Neerpasch, then head of BMW Motorsport, with a proposal that was considered rather daring at the time: what if a famous artist could be persuaded to design a BMW race car, which Poulain would then drive in the 24 Hours of Le Mans?
However, everyone involved immediately recognised the potential of the idea, and so in 1975 none other than the world-famous American sculptor and pioneer of kinetic art, Alexander Calder, presented the first Art Car, based on the BMW 3.0 CSL. And when Hervé Poulain, as planned, took to the track in the first Art Car alongside his team-mates Sam Posey and Jean Guichet at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the sensation was complete. Suddenly, the BMW Art Car had become a force to be reckoned with – and today, 50 years and 20 cars later, it remains just as influential as it was on day one. The new exhibition in Munich bears impressive witness to this.
ICONIC ARCHITECTURE FOR ICONIC ART CARS.
ICONIC ARCHITECTURE FOR ICONIC ART CARS.
Since it opened, BMW Welt has been a cultural hub in Munich. Alongside its attractive showroom spaces, car collection point and changing exhibitions, its iconic architecture is one of the key factors that draws up to three million visitors every year.
BMW Welt thus provides the perfect setting for the most comprehensive exhibition to date of the BMW Art Car Collection in a venue open to the public. From the BMW 3.0 CSL to the BMW M1 and BMW Z1, right through to the BMW M Hybrid V8, these “rolling sculptures” showcase a cross-section of the design and technological history of BMW and BMW M.
THROUGH 50 YEARS OF ART CAR HISTORY.
THROUGH 50 YEARS OF ART CAR HISTORY.
Right from the entrance area, an introductory video documentary brings the history and significance of the BMW Art Car Collection to life for visitors. The tour begins by focusing on the two most recent additions to the collection: the BMW Art Car #20 by Julie Mehretu and the BMW Art Car #19 by John Baldessari.
As the exhibition progresses, it unfolds as a chronological journey through the decades. A timeline on the walls traces the collection’s origins and illustrates both its development and the diverse artistic and technological contexts in which the cars were created. The exhibition concludes with the first BMW Art Cars presented on a podium, with Alexander Calder’s BMW Art Car #1 taking centre stage.
A highlight is Olafur Eliasson’s BMW Art Car #16, the “BMW H2R Project”. Since its world premiere in 2007, BMW Welt is only the fourth venue worldwide where the exhibit – based on the hydrogen prototype H2R – has been publicly displayed as a “frozen” installation. Eliasson replaced the bodywork of the BMW H2R with a net-like mesh of reflective metal and coated it with several layers of frozen water.
AT CLOSE RANGE: ALL 20 ROLLING WORKS OF ART.
AT CLOSE RANGE: ALL 20 ROLLING WORKS OF ART.
The exhibition offers more than just rolling sculptures up close. In addition, the Artlas app – the AI-powered platform and companion app for the cultural sector – has developed content specifically for the exhibition, providing personalised digital access to all 20 BMW Art Cars. Visitors can point their smartphone at any vehicle to find out more: for example, why the BMW 850 CSi designed by David Hockney is so colourful, what the mesh structure of Olafur Eliasson’s “BMW H2R Project” is all about, or what the livery created by Julie Mehretu for the BMW M Hybrid V8 Art Car means. The content ranges from concise introductions to the works, through curated themed tours, to detailed background information in text and audio format.
ONLY IN AUGUST 2026.
- The exhibition “BMW ART CARS – 20 ARTISTS, 50 YEARS OF INNOVATION. REUNITED AT BMW WELT” runs from 29 July to 31 August 2026.
- Opening hours are Monday to Sunday from 9 am to 6 pm. Admission is free.
- Guided tours take place twice a day. Exclusive private tours can be booked on request at booking@bmw.com.
- For more information go to BMW Welt.
