Why businesses should support the arts post-pandemic

Sculpture by Leelee Chan, winner of the BMW Art Journey with Art Basel © Leelee Chan

As head of BMW’s cultural engagement, Thomas Girst is deeply passionate about arts and ideas. He involves the company in some really interesting projects which not only help these artists and institutions – many of whom rely entirely on corporate sponsorship – but the partnerships also subtly boost BMW’s brand image externally and internally.

Of course, there’s always been a mutually seductive rapport between art and money – and BMW isn’t alone even among car companies to tap into the art world. Yet, not all sponsorships and patronages feel genuine. Some are so off the rail you do wonder who signed the cheque. Girst’s work, though, is different. His choices are relevant to the brand and are topical. They can also be daring – be it exploring the virtual real, the seducing powers of technology, or the plight of the refugee. The latest partnership looks at the climate crisis with Leelee Chan, the winner of the BMW Art Journey with Art Basel, examining how ancient materials and their future substitutes from the fields of nanotechnology and biotechnology inform our debate around ecological and cultural sustainability.

I spoke with Girst following the Art Journey announcement to see where he feels the art world is heading. And he spoke passionately about the vital need for corporations to sponsor and support the arts in the post-pandemic world. He also offered some valuable tips as to how businesses can best get involved with the creative world. Take a closer look here

BMW Art Journey with Art Basel explores civilisations

BMW Group Culture support some interesting cultural programmes including the Art Journey initiative with Art Basel which encourages the chosen artist to let the experience of their journey organically mould the artwork. Last year US artist Jamal Cyrus travelled to Europe, Africa and Latin America, tracing the migration of slaves to assess their cultural impact along their journey. In the previous year, the British artist Abigail Reynolds took on lost libraries along the Silk Road. This year the Berlin-based Zac Langdon-Pole will follow the flight path of birds, travelling along the earth’s axis through Central Europe and the Pacific Islands as a way of understanding how cultures intersect with the science of celestial mapping – how this flows into larger existential inquiries about who we are, and our role in this world.

I met the artist in his first stop in London. Read the full article (via) Wallpaper*

Read about last year’s Art Journey winner here.

All images © Zac Langdon-Pole for Michael Lett Gallery and Art Basel

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BMW and Art Basel tackle identity, migration and the slave route

‘An intercontinental and multinational geography describing the circulation of ideas between Africa, Europe and the Americas,’ is how Jamal Cyrus describes the concept behind his latest work-in-progress. The Houston-based artist is exploring areas of the United States, Europe, Africa and Latin America – tracing the migration of slaves and assessing their cultural impact along their journey on their past, present and future homes. His final research project will become the next BMW Art Journey – the annual scheme with Art Basel established three years ago as a way of discovering and supporting interesting and emerging global artists. I caught up with Cyrus earlier this week on the London-leg of his journey to find out more. Read the full interview here.

All images © Jamal Cyrus for Inman Gallery

Design Talks | The Textile Building | 29a Chatham Place | London | E9 6FJ | UK
Design Talks is published by Spinach Design
All rights and labelled images are covered by ©

Meet the virtual BMW Art Car by Chinese artist Cao Fei

BMW Art Car #18 by Chinese multimedia artist Cao Fei takes the iconic series into the 21st century by going digital – through both virtual and augmented reality, inviting the viewer to participate and transform the M6 GT3 racecar into a living sculpture before racing at Macau in November.

I go behind the scenes to meet the artist and see how her BMW Art Car reflects the next life of the automobile. Read the full story here.