The Frieze art fair, organized by the eponymous leading platform for modern and contemporary art worldwide, is currently running in L.A., USA. The German BMW Group is present at this fair in order to present a very special fusion of art and technical innovation: the BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA. The eye-catching vehicle combines BMW’s E Ink technology with the art of Esther Mahlangu.
In 1991, Esther Mahlangu – the first woman and first African artist – designed a BMW Art Car, the twelfth of its kind. Now her art is on display at the Frieze Los Angeles art fair again, this time on a BMW automobile that can change the design of its exterior with the push of a button, thanks to innovative E Ink technology.
At the opening of the fair on February 29, 2024, the BMW Group presented the BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA as a unique fusion of art and innovative technology. The unveiling of the art car was a world premiere. The car equipped with electronically animatable foil segments, showcases the latest stage of development in color-changing technology for vehicle surfaces developed by BMW in collaboration with E Ink.
Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design, said at the presentation: "The BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA pays tribute to the brand’s history and continues the story of our global cultural engagement in a special way. It connects art and design through progressive technology. Here, technology itself becomes art."
Stella Clarke, Research Engineer Open Innovations at BMW Group, who had the idea for the color-changing technology, said of the project: "Bringing this idea to life now and collaborating with Esther Mahlangu is an overwhelming experience. The artist’s characteristic colors and geometric patterns are ideal for transferring the innovative Flow technology to the BMW i5. The versatility of electrophoretic color changes turns the fully electric sedan into a dynamic work of art."
The 88-year-old artist Esther Mahlangu stated: "It fascinates me to see how modern technology expands my art and makes it accessible to an entirely new audience."
On the BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA, named after Esther Mahlangu’s first son, the animatable foil segments extend in pairs over the roof, hood, and rear, as well as over the vehicle’s flanks. Similar to an e-book reader, each E Ink foil contains several million microcapsules. The color particles contained within them can be altered in their structure and arrangement by electrical voltage. This allows the colors and patterns typical of Esther Mahlangu’s art to be displayed in ever-changing compositions.
According to the project managers, the color-changing technology has developed rapidly at the BMW Group over the past two years. Following the introduction of the BMW iX Flow featuring E Ink in 2022, which switched between white and black at the push of a button, the first multicolored implementation followed in 2023. On the 240 foil segments of the BMW i Vision Dee, up to 32 colors could be displayed. The latest development stage now allows even more colors and patterns. At the same time, the foil segments are becoming more robust, facilitating potential future series production. However, the BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA is intended to remain a unique piece for now.
Cover Image: BMW Art Cars, past and present. Photo Credits: BMW Group. (On the left: The fusion of art and innovative technology – the BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA 2024. On the right: The BMW Art Car designed by Esther Mahlangu in 1991.)
Releated Topics: Brands and exhibitions, brands and events, brands and art, event sponsorship, event collaborations, marketing collaboration, world premiere, art and technology, BMW Art Car, BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA, Esther Mahlangu, art, South Africa, artist, culture and brands, automotive manufacturer, automotive industry, art fair, modern art, Frieze Los Angeles
(This text was automatically translated from German. Please excuse any translation errors.)
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