BMW + art basel to recognize emerging creatives with art journey award

BMW + art basel to recognize emerging creatives with art journey award
image courtesy of BMW group

during art basel in miami beach 2014, BMW has commenced their art journey award. beginning in 2015, art basel and BMW will support emerging artists by enabling them to go on their own journey of creative discovery. functioning as a sort of mobile studio, the program can take the chosen creatives almost anywhere in the world — to conduct research, make contacts, and create a new catalog of work.

artists who are exhibiting in art basel’s sectors for emerging-artists in miami beach and hong kong, respectively, are eligible to receive a BMW art journey. awarded twice a year, the prize will be granted to one artist among those who exhibit at each location. two international expert juries, one for hong kong and one for miami beach, will determine a shortlist of three artists per sector, inviting them to submit proposals for their creative expedition. finally, one artist from each shortlist will be selected in a second round of judging to receive the BMW prize. the artist chosen from the discoveries sector of art basel’s show in hong kong — taking place in march 2015 — will be announced in the summer of 2015, while the selected artist from the positions sector of art basel in miami beach, in december 2015, will be announced in early 2016.

to introduce the global art initiative, BMW invited designboom to a sumptuous media breakfast at the miami springs power boat club, accessible only by water. this center comprises one of the seven stilted structures that make up stiltsville. seemingly floating above biscayne bay’s shallow seagrass beds, the water-based community occupies an isolated spot about a mile off shore, and boasts a history that dates back to the 1930s. local legend says shacks first appeared in the area during the booze-smuggling days of prohibition, serving as a hotspot for wild parties and illegal gambling. at its peak in 1960, there were 27 structures on the flats — 25 years later, the land with the stilt structures became part of biscayne national park. however, when hurricane andrew whipped through the city in 1992, it left only seven crayola-colored buildings standing.

the BMW event continued at the miami springs power boat club, in stiltsville in miami
image courtesy of BMW group

high-speed boats transport the media group to the miami springs power boat club
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the boats wade through miami’s turquoise water
image courtesy of BMW group

headed towards the dock of the springs power boat club
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one of the stiltsville structures perched above the sea, overlooking the miami skyline
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the media group pulls up to the boat club
image courtesy of BMW group

the colorfully painted facade set against the aquamarine seas
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a flock of floridian sea gulls gaze out at sea
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curators juan gaitan and victoria noorthoorn, dorothee dines and nadine lopez (art basel representatives) and
dr. thomas girst (head of BMW group cultural engagement) at the event
image courtesy of BMW group

dr. thomas girst presents the art journey award, alongside curators and art basel representatives, at the BMW event
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designboom editor-in-chief birgit lohmann with head of management at the miami springs power boat club
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a pictorial illustration of the stiltsville village emblazons the back of a sweater
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alongside the award’s announcement during art basel in miami beach, BMW have displayed two of the legendary painted vehicles from their prestigious art cars series: the BMW 320i art car by roy lichtenstein and the BMW M3 art car by michael jagamara nelson. this initiative began more than 35 years ago and has seen leading international artists from andy warhol to jenny holzer transform BMW cars into physical masterpieces. read more about the art car series on designboom in our previous feature at their 2014 exhibition in london, here.

BMW 320i art car by roy lichtenstein, 1977 unveiled at reception celebrating the BMW art journey

the BMW 320i art car by roy lichtenstein

BMW M3 art car by michael jagamara nelson, 1989 on display at the vip collectors lounge

detail of BMW M3 art car by michael jagamara nelson, 1989

members of the hong kong jury (first selection, march 2015) include: richard armstrong (director solomon r. guggenheim museum, new york), claire hsu (director asia art archive, hong kong), matthias mühling (director städtische galerie im lenbachhaus, munich).

members of the miami beach jury (first selection, december 2015) include: juan gaitán (curator based in mexico city), massimiliano gioni (artistic director new museum, new york city), gabriele horn (director kw institute for contemporary art, berlin), victoria noorthoorn (director museo de arte moderna, buenos aires), bisi silva (director centre for contemporary art, lagos)