World Premiere: Chinese Multimedia Artist Cao Fei Creates First Digital BMW Art Car

BEIJING, May 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Cao Fei (b. 1978) is the youngest and first Chinese artist to create a BMW Art Car. By employing augmented and virtual reality, the internationally acclaimed artist addresses the future of mobility such as autonomous driving and digitalization. In the presence of Dr Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, and hundreds of invited guests, the world premiere of BMW Art Car #18 was celebrated at the Minsheng Art Museum in Beijing on May 31.

     (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/516963/Cao_Fei_Unmanned.jpg )

     (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/516962/BMW_Art_Car_18.jpg )

Cao Fei's BMW Art Car is a reflection on the speed of change in China, on its tradition and its future. Her art car project consists of three components: a video of a time traveling spiritual practitioner, augmented reality features picturing colorful streams of light, accessible via a dedicated app (App Store: keyword "BMW Art Car #18"), and the BMW M6 GT3 racecar in its original carbon black. Paying tribute to the carbon fiber structure of the racecar chassis, her use of a non-reflective black incorporates the car into the possibilities of the digital world. In her video, the practitioner executes spiritual movements, which become immersive colorful streams of light. When the app is used within the premises of the car, these swishes become an AR installation floating above and around the M6 GT3.

Her BMW M6 GT3 will race at the FIA FT World Cup in Macau on November 17-19, 2017. A virtual experience of Cao Fei's BMW Art Car will be on display at the UBS Forum during Art Basel in Basel in June 2017.

Further information available at: http://www.press.bmwgroup.com
Video footage: http://www.press.bmwgroup.com/tv-footage  

Dr Thomas Girst
BMW Group Corporate and Governmental Affairs  
Head of Cultural Engagement 
Telephone: +49-89-382-24753
Email: presse@bmw.de