World Premiere of "FRANCHISE FREEDOM - a Flying Sculpture by Studio Drift in Partnership With BMW" During Art Basel in Miami Beach

MIAMI BEACH, Florida, December 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Last night at South Beach, Amsterdam based Studio Drift, Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta, presented their latest work "FRANCHISE FREEDOM - a flying sculpture by Studio Drift in partnership with BMW". On the occasion of Art Basel in Miami Beach, 300 illuminated drones moved across the sky above the ocean mimicking a flock of birds and creating a performative artwork at the interface between technology, science, and art.

     (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/616816/BMW_FRANCHISE_FREEDOM_Sculpture.jpg )

     (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/614941/FRANCHISE_FREEDOM.jpg )

Hildegard Wortmann, Senior Vice President Brand BMW, says: "It was Edmund Burke - in the middle of the 18th century within his well-known treatise on the sublime - who wrote of beauty as being a movement. This is what Studio Drift and Bayerische Motoren Werke both wholeheartedly subscribe to. 'FRANCHISE FREEDOM' is a technological wonder and a breathtaking aesthetic experience."

By imitating the natural phenomenon of a swarm of birds with drones, it is the first time for this orchestrated movement to be presented by machines working with decentralized algorithms at a very large scale. Additional shows weather permitting are planned nightly at 8 PM until December 10 between 32nd and 33rd Street off Collins Avenue behind the Faena Hotel Miami Beach. They are visible from a large distance - detailed timing will be shared on Instagram by Studio Drift @studio.drift, by Pace Gallery @pacegallery and by BMW on Instagram @bmwgroupculture and Facebook #bmwgroupculture. 

While Studio Drift presented their artwork "FRANCHISE FREEDOM" in Miami Beach, Bayerische Motoren Werke had one of their latest masterpieces on site: the BMW Concept 8 Series.

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

Contact:

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