BMW is returning to Art Basel Miami Beach 2025 as Official Global Automotive Partner, underscoring more than five decades of sustained support for the arts and cultural innovation.
The brand highlights its long-term relationship with Art Basel, which has grown over more than 20 years and now adds a new chapter through a high-profile collaboration with acclaimed sculptor Kennedy Yanko.
Kennedy Yanko’s Sculptural Homage to BMW XM Label
Renowned for transforming industrial materials and “paint skins” into fluid, dynamic forms, Kennedy Yanko debuts a sculptural installation inspired directly by the BMW XM Label performance SUV. The piece reflects the vehicle’s expressive character and high-powered duality, translating its bold proportions and 738-horsepower presence into an exploration of motion, materiality, and energy.
Exclusive Event and Design Dialogue
On Thursday, December 4, BMW is hosting an intimate activation that offers invited guests rare access to Yanko’s new sculpture alongside a BMW XM Label finished in bespoke Santorini Blue by BMW Individual. Hussein Al Attar, Director of Automotive Design at Designworks in Santa Monica, joins Yanko for a live conversation examining how both sculpture and vehicle design shape materials to convey power, movement, and emotional impact.
A 50-Year Legacy of Art and Innovation
The Miami Beach initiative builds on BMW’s broad cultural portfolio, which spans contemporary art, music, design, architecture, and its iconic BMW Art Car Collection created with figures such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jeff Koons. Through enduring partnerships with leading institutions and ongoing engagements at Art Basel shows in Miami Beach, Basel, and Hong Kong, BMW positions creativity as a catalyst for innovation, connection, and social progress.
BMW Group’s U.S. Footprint and Production Strength
BMW’s cultural programming at Art Basel is supported by a robust U.S. presence that includes nearly 30 locations across 12 states and a network of hundreds of BMW, MINI, BMW Motorrad, and Rolls-Royce retailers. At the center of its industrial operations is BMW Group Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina, the company’s largest single production facility worldwide and the global competence center for X models and the XM, with capacity to build up to 450,000 vehicles annually.
Art Basel’s Global Platform
Art Basel, founded in 1970, stages leading fairs for modern and contemporary art in Basel, Miami Beach, Hong Kong, Paris, and Qatar, each tailored to its regional context. The organization has expanded its reach with digital platforms, market reports, awards, and an e-commerce presence, providing a powerful global stage for collaborations like BMW’s partnership with Kennedy Yanko in Miami Beach.
