Some photographs of BMW Art Cars sparked my interest. It appears that since 1975 when the “BMW Art Car Project" was launched by racing driver Hervé Poulain, famous artists from all parts of the world have been invited to use the BMW car as their personal canvas. To date 17 such cars have been created, the latest, for 2010, by Jeff Koons - he of the blow-up dogs sculptures and wildly expensive "Hanging Heart" (see below).
I've chosen 4 previous Art Cars from the current 17, the chosen ones painted by artists about whom I've blogged in past posts. A link to relevant pages is included, and a note of the artist's Sun and other signs. I notice a trine Sun to Uranus in each. They're all considered "modernists" and Uranus is nothing if not modern.
Photos of all 17 BMW Art Cars can be viewed HERE.
Starting with the most recently painted car:
The latest BMW car artist, for 2010 and #17 is Jeff Koons
Sun 00 Aquarius opposite Uranus in late Cancer. Well....he would be a quirky Sun Aquarius person wouldn't he? I mean....look what he's famous for!
JEFF KOONS' BMW Art Car # 17
Jeff Koons' art creations may look like a lot of kitchiness, but....
More detail on this artist and photos of his work at The Skinny:
Ahem!....."ultimately populist and meaningless"?? Now that remark raises my hackles!
What is meaningless about something that is "populist"? Populism, as opposed to elitism is what the world needs more of. So there!
And back to #1.....
ALEXANDER CALDER painted the very first Art Car. Sun Cancer close trine Uranus Scorpio. Moon Virgo.
ROY LICHENSTEIN
Sun Scorpio trine Uranus Pisces. Moon Taurus or Gemini
ANDY WARHOL Sun Leo trine Uranus/Moon in Aries.
DAVID HOCKNEY
Sun Cancer sextile Uranus Taurus. Moon Cancer or Leo
I've chosen 4 previous Art Cars from the current 17, the chosen ones painted by artists about whom I've blogged in past posts. A link to relevant pages is included, and a note of the artist's Sun and other signs. I notice a trine Sun to Uranus in each. They're all considered "modernists" and Uranus is nothing if not modern.
Photos of all 17 BMW Art Cars can be viewed HERE.
Starting with the most recently painted car:
The latest BMW car artist, for 2010 and #17 is Jeff Koons
Sun 00 Aquarius opposite Uranus in late Cancer. Well....he would be a quirky Sun Aquarius person wouldn't he? I mean....look what he's famous for!
JEFF KOONS' BMW Art Car # 17
Jeff Koons' art creations may look like a lot of kitchiness, but....
NEW YORK, 15 NOVEMBER 2007—A new record for a living artist at auction was set when Jeff Koons’ stainless steel Hanging Heart brought $23.6 million yesterday at Sotheby's evening sale of Contemporary Art in New York. Sold to Gagosian Gallery to applause, Hanging Heart, 1994-2006 is considered one of the most important works by Koons ever offered at auction.
The bright magenta heart and gold undulating bow, which took ten years from conception to completion, is one of five uniquely colored versions of this work from Koons’ Celebration series. The perfect surface is coated in more than ten layers of paint. Executed in high chromium stainless steel, Hanging Heart weighs over 3,500 pounds (1,600 kg), is almost nine feet (2.7 meter) tall and took over 6,000 man hours to produce. (Here.)
More detail on this artist and photos of his work at The Skinny:
Jeff Koons is, depending on who you ask, the visual maestro of the contemporary period, or a self-aggrandizing provocateur whose work is ultimately populist and meaningless. He himself has admitted that Pop-Art sensibilities and a strong attachment to the world of marketing and advertising have influenced him tremendously: “I believe in advertisement and media completely. My art and my personal life are based in it. I think that the art world would probably be a tremendous reservoir for everybody involved in advertising. Whatever your beliefs about how future generations will perceive Koons’s work, the sense that he has captured and articulated something vital and significant is undeniable.
Ahem!....."ultimately populist and meaningless"?? Now that remark raises my hackles!
What is meaningless about something that is "populist"? Populism, as opposed to elitism is what the world needs more of. So there!
And back to #1.....
ALEXANDER CALDER painted the very first Art Car. Sun Cancer close trine Uranus Scorpio. Moon Virgo.
ROY LICHENSTEIN
Sun Scorpio trine Uranus Pisces. Moon Taurus or Gemini
ANDY WARHOL Sun Leo trine Uranus/Moon in Aries.
DAVID HOCKNEY
Sun Cancer sextile Uranus Taurus. Moon Cancer or Leo
Amazing pictures! And so is your creativeness. Agree that art does not need to be elitist, but when it turns out to be ART - it's becoming that. At least in the art market. In the modern world the criteria for value have considerably shifted.
ReplyDeleteSaw a picture by Turner the other day auctioned at over 40 $MM, and I would not hang up even in my kitchen. Some Greek temple with some cows or goats in front. It's "money-money", I guess...
What a fun post, enjoyed it v much!
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
Thank you gian paul!
ReplyDeleteYes, I see what you mean about "becoming ART".
I have great difficulty relating price to what I see as value in many instances : art, antiques, collectibles, autographs, stamps, and suchlike. The key is rarity, I realise that much - but even so - in most cases, who cares if there's only one - or not many - still around?
In ART - some prices are truly astounding (and no hyperbole there!) :-)
WWW ~~~ I'm glad - I enjoyed putting it together. :-)
ReplyDeleteI adore the giant balloon dog. I'm not usually one for modern art beyond the Expressionists, but that dog just gets me.
ReplyDeleteThe bit about the cars was great. How have you been? I've been sadly lacking blog-hop time lately.
Michelle ~~~ hi there! Good to see ya!
ReplyDeleteYes the dog is cute, and the skills involved in constructing it must be considerable.
All well on the western front - I too have been doing less blog skimming of late, as a few fellow bloggers have, for one reason or another, fallen by mthe wayside. I will direct my cyber steps your way again soon though.
Best wishes. ;-)
I often go to the BMW Art Car Show. Every event gives me a remarkable experience! I love the thrill of seeing cars with such artistry engraved on it. There’s this striking, bizarre feeling of seeing these cars firsthand!
ReplyDelete