Style Edit: BMW’s electric i7 appeared at Art Basel Hong Kong in collaboration with artist Alex Israel – the carmaker’s latest creative tie-up following work with Jeff Koons and Roy Lichtenstein
It might initially seem surprising to see a car in the middle of an exhibition space dedicated to art. It all makes sense though once you understand BMW’s long connection to the art world, through presenting its cars as canvases for the works of some of the world’s most famous artists, including Jeff Koons and Roy Lichtenstein.
Raymond Tan, managing director of BMW Group Importer Region, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, confirmed this passion for the arts. “For more than 50 years, BMW has collaborated with some of the most creative and inspiring artists in the world – while promoting the creative spirit that drives our brand forward.”
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“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Alex Israel on this project and to celebrate the Asia premiere together with the all-electric in March,” said Tan.
Shown for the first time in Asia, Remembr is an AI-based video installation designed as an immersive journey through time and memory. Embracing technology and the possibilities that come with AI, the work nods to the all-electric BMW i7 and its innovative in-car experience.
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Israel, a Los Angeles-based, multidisciplinary artist, works across a range of mediums, including painting, sculpture and, of course, mixed-media installations. His work centres on conversations between popular culture, art and technology and is often described as vibrant and multidimensional.
The installation featured AI technology developed by the artist and the carmaker, alongside curated and choreographed footage from visitors’ phones. The content from visitors, together with Israel’s memories, were shared across seven custom-designed screens, which created an immersive experience as visitors journeyed through the installation.
The Remembr experience uses the same cutting-edge technology that BMW’s cars bring to drivers and passengers. Technology and innovation are at the heart of the automaker’s vision, and this is especially true with its all-electric range, which includes the new BMW i7 luxury sedan. Fitted with BMW My Modes technology, the car is programmed to harmonise its sensory environment with the driver’s profile to provide a human-centric, all-electric driving experience.
Israel views the Remembr installation as the basis for him to further explore themes around the connection between technology and the human condition.
“The i7, with its AI technology and the My Modes feature, resonated for me as a milestone in the evolution of human-machine relationships. This car is an individually tailored capsule, a vessel for travelling through the world, but also through one’s own subconscious mind,” the artist shared.
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He said that by merging content from visitors’ phones with snippets from his own thoughts and memory, he allowed the audience to revisit their experiences in a fresh and meaningful way.
- Raymond Tan, managing director of BMW Group Importer Region, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, spoke about the carmaker’s 50-year heritage of collaborations with artists
- Remembr is the latest version of an AI-based video installation that Israel also used to spotlight the BMW i5, exhibited at Art Basel Miami Beach 2023