Andy Warhol’s BMW M1 Art Car Arrives in Dubai
In an exciting cultural showcase, the legendary BMW M1 Art Car, painted by iconic pop artist Andy Warhol, has made its way to Dubai. This marks a rare and significant appearance of one of the most celebrated vehicles in the BMW Art Car Collection, a project that has brought together the worlds of automotive innovation and contemporary art since the 1970s.
Warhol’s M1, created in 1979, stands out not only for its vibrant, abstract brush strokes but also for the unique fact that Warhol painted it himself—unlike most other artists in the project who had their designs executed by technicians. Warhol’s expressive brushwork is visible directly on the car’s body, making it a one-of-a-kind fusion of movement, speed, and visionary art.
The Dubai exhibition brings the piece to a region where automobile culture meets a growing passion for fine art and design. The M1’s public presentation is part of an initiative to make historic and contemporary masterpieces more accessible in the Middle East, with Warhol’s car undoubtedly serving as a highlight.
Created as part of the fourth edition in the BMW Art Car series—following works by Alexander Calder, Frank Stella, and Roy Lichtenstein—Warhol’s interpretation of the M1 aimed to depict “speed” itself through visible motion and dynamic color. According to Warhol, he wanted “to show speed as a visual image,” a goal he achieved through energetic strokes of red, blue, yellow, and green across the white base of the car.
Beyond its artistic significance, the car also holds an important place in motorsport history. It competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979, where it achieved a sixth-place overall finish and second in its class—a testament to BMW’s commitment to combining performance engineering with cutting-edge creativity.
This unique masterpiece now finds a temporary home in a city known for its luxury lifestyle, global art scene, and forward-thinking vision. The Warhol BMW M1 is more than just a car; it is a symbol of cross-disciplinary innovation, reminding viewers that art can live beyond traditional canvases—even on a racetrack.
— Editorial Team
