Artist Jeff Koons Plans New BMW Art Car

American artist Jeff Koons is to be involved in creating the 17th BMW Art Car in the 35th anniversary year of the program. The artist made the announcement together with Jim O'Donnell, President of BMW North America. Other artists such as Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Jenny Holzer, Roy Lichtenstein, Frank Stella, Robert Rauschenberg, and Alexander Calder, are all involved in the same project.

"I always thought it would be an honor to work on a BMW Art Car," said Jeff Koons. "I look forward to participate in a tradition set forth by such great artists as Calder, Lichtenstein, Stella, and Warhol."

"The entire BMW Group is looking forward to this celebration of contemporary art by Jeff Koons, one of the greatest artists of our time," said O'Donnell in making the announcement.

Koons is known for his giant reproductions of banal objects such as balloon animals produced in stainless steel with mirror finish surfaces, often brightly colored. Moreover, he was recognized earlier this year by music icon Bono of U2 as the one of the ideal artists to design a car that would make the world fall in love with automobiles again.

"Art Cars are part of the DNA of BMW's cultural engagement. As manifested in Koons' latest sculptural work, what unites us is the belief that nothing is impossible. Our company and Jeff Koons are drawn to permanent innovation and cutting-edge technology," Frank-Peter Arndt, member of the Board of Management for the BMW AG and responsible for BMW Group's international cultural formats, said in a release.

The Koons BMW Art Car will be revealed later in the year. Details of the model and preliminary design will be announced in due course.