Andy Warhol's M1 spotted at Empress Place

The BMW M1 Art Car was created in 1977 by the late Pop Art legend Andy Warhol who worked directly on the vehicle and painted the car himself. For Andy Warhol to paint an automobile seems a natural. The M1 was painted in his famous studio which also was known as a Factory. Warhol explained the sweeping strokes of this BMW M1 which he portray speed pictorially as if the car is moving really quickly, all the lines and colors are blurred. Warhol painting the this actual BMW M1 all by himself. He is reported to have spent only 23 minutes painting the car - thick brush marks are still visible. Andy Warhol ran his fingers through the paint to leave a personal touch and left his signature at the rear bumper of this colourful BMW M1.

When asked if he was pleased with the end result, he replied, "I love the car; it's better than the work of art itself." The car raced only once, in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979, driven by Manfred Winkelhock (Germany) and the Frenchmen Hervé Poulain and Marcel Mignot. It placed sixth overall and second in class.

Andy Warhol (1928 - 1987) was an American artist associated with the definition of Pop Art. He was a painter, a commercial illustrator, writer and celebrity. Warhol studied commercial art at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. In 1949, he moved to New York City and began a successful career in magazine illustration and advertising. He became well-known mainly for his whimsical ink drawings of shoes done in a loose, blotted style. In addition, Andy Warhol was a highly prolific filmmaker. Between 1963 and 1968, he made more than sixty films.

Updated On: 07.01.24