See a BMW Art Car in NYC

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/09/bmw-m1-painted-by-frank-stella-heading-to-auction/

Visitors to the atrium of the IBM Building, at 56th Street and Madison Avenue, encounter a brightly colored BMW M1 painted by the artist Frank Stella in 1979. Many pause and pose for mobile phone photos, and with good reason.

The car will be on display all week in the atrium, which adjoins the offices of Bonhams auction house, to advertise its presence in a collector car auction scheduled for Aug. 18 and 19 at the Quail Lodge in Carmel, Calif., held concurrently with the Pebble Beach week of automotive events. According to the auction house, the car is being sold by the Guggenheim Museum, its current owner, to finance other acquisitions. Bonhams’ presale estimate is $450,000 to $600,000.

Bonhams“This is the only BMW car ever painted by an authorized factory artist for a private client and, therefore, is totally unique from the 16 official Art Cars commissioned to date by BMW,” a statement issued by Bonhams said. Although not an official part of the company’s series of art cars, it is the next best thing, said Rupert Banner, automotive expert at Bonhams. “You could call it the only art car not in captivity,” he said.

In reply to Wally:Wow--I wish I could make it to Manhattan.

I'll bet it goes on the high side of the estimate, if not higher. Seems like the fine art angle of it will fetch more than the automotive angle--not that M1's can be had cheaply.

BMW Art Cars are sweet, regardless.

I guess it's different strokes for different folks. To me, that car looks like my 3 year old twins were let loose with a box of crayons and soiled a beautiful while M1....

Art cars are awesome, I love them.

Stella paintings have sold for as much as $2 million. Being the only art car in the wild - a million for it wouldn't surprise me at all.

oldtin wrote: Stella paintings have sold for as much as $2 million. Being the only art car in the wild - a million for it wouldn't surprise me at all.

Yeah, I thought that estimate seemed low, but I'm far from an art aficionado.

Got to stop by after work today. I love the M1 to begin with, but this may be my favorite of them. I like it much better than the Warhol one.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150623842975500&set=a.10150623842060500.675587.898405499&type=1&theater#!/media/set/?set=a.10150623842060500.675587.898405499

I can't help but imagine that car in the context of the late 70's and early 80's, where automakers exhausted the drab brown and olive gray palettes. Maybe it's the paint that looks like watercolor, and maybe it's the crisp, colorful lines, but something keeps the paint from looking ameteur. It is something special.