BMW i3 “Spaghetti Car” by artist Maurizio Cattelan sold at star-studded Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation Gala.

Saint-Tropez/Munich. On the occasion of Leonardo
DiCaprio Foundation’s (LDF) Fourth Annual Saint-Tropez Gala, BMW
France had the pleasure to donate a BMW i3, designed by Maurizio
Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari of TOILETPAPER, for the yearly
fundraising auction. After some intense bidding, the unique artwork
and fully functioning electric vehicle went to a Swiss collector for
the amount of €100,000.

The gala was hosted by LDF Founder and Chairman Leonardo DiCaprio,
foundation CEO Terry Tamminen and the Global Fundraising Chairman
Milutin Gatsby, honoring the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo. Event
Chairs included Prince Albert II of Monaco, Cate Blanchett, Marion
Cotillard, Philippe Cousteau, Penélope Cruz, Tom Hanks, Kate Hudson,
Doutzen Kroes, Jared Leto, Tobey Maguire, Edward Norton, Emma Stone,
Uma Thurman and Kate Winslet. Among the guests in attendance were
Adrien Brody, Sean Penn, Taylor Hill, Iman Hamman and Gerard Butler.
For the international guests, American artist Lenny Kravitz performed
on site. Additionally, there was a surprise performance by Madonna.

Vincent Salimon, CEO BMW Group France is delighted that “our
commitments to sustainable development and support for contemporary
creation come together to raise funds for the Leonardo DiCaprio
Foundation. The BMW i3 “Spaghetti Car” was created by
Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari on the initiative of BMW
France and the Rencontres d’Arles, BMW partnered for 8 years. The
donation of this unique work for the Foundation’s annual charity gala
in Saint-Tropez reflects once again the company’s culture: daring,
innovating, creating in complete freedom, in a responsible and
sustainable spirit.”

Auctioneer Simon de Pury, together with curator Lisa Schiff of SFA
Advisory oversaw the sale of dozens of original works by
internationally renowned artists such as Jeff Koons, Tracey Emin, Urs
Fischer, Paul McCarthy, Adrian Ghenie, Rudolf Stingel and current BMW
Art Journey recipient Max Hooper Schneider.

With $30 million raised so far, the auction continues online to
benefit LDF programs. Please visit: http://www.2017ldfauction.org/en.

 

The BMW i3 “Spaghetti Car” On the occasion of the
Rencontres d’Arles Festival of Photography in 2016, Italian artist
Maurizio Cattelan (*1960) created a BMW i3 (60 Ah) “rolling sculpture”
together with the photographer Pierpaolo Ferrari (*1971). In 2009
Cattelan and Ferrari co-created TOILETPAPER, a bi-annual picture-based
publication. For the exterior of the BMW i3, TOILETPAPER employed
their signature style spaghetti close-up imagery. Cattelan remarked
upon his work: “This is by far the best Spaghetti Car I have tasted!
All those years of perfecting definitely paid off! Totally awesome!”

Maurizio Cattelan is considered one of the most significant artists
of his time, with major exhibitions at international museums,
including the Museum of Modern Art, the Centre Georges Pompidou as
well as the Guggenheim Museum in New York. His sculpture “Him” (2001)
sold at auction at Christie’s in 2016 in excess of $17m. Within the
same year, he installed “America”, a solid 18-karat gold toilet in the
Guggenheim Museum’s restroom, free of use for the public. Cattelan is
a four-time participant of the Venice Biennial.

From Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein to Robert Rauschenberg and Jeff
Koons, BMW has been collaborating with artists creating Art Cars for
almost half a century. The BMW i3 series was launched in 2014 as part
of the BMW i brand, standing for visionary vehicle concepts and
technologies, connected mobility services as well as a new
understanding of premium defined by sustainability. The “Spaghetti
Car” by TOILETPAPER is a fully functioning electric vehicle and came
with a certificate of authenticity signed by TOILETPAPER (Maurizio
Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari) as co-creators of this unique work of art.

 

For event images please refer to: www.picdrop.de/gettyentertainment

(© Getty Images for Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation)

  

For further questions please contact:

Dr Thomas Girst

BMW Group Corporate and Intergovernmental Affairs

Head of Cultural Engagement

Telephone: +49-89-382-20067 E-Mail: Thomas.Girst@bmwgroup.com

 

www.press.bmwgroup.com

E-Mail: presse@bmw.de

 

About BMW Group’s Cultural Commitment For almost 50
years now, the BMW Group has initiated and engaged in over 100
cultural cooperations worldwide. The company places the main focus of
its long-term commitment on contemporary and modern art, classical
music and jazz as well as architecture and design. In 1972, three
large-scale paintings were created by the artist Gerhard Richter
specifically for the foyer of the BMW Group’s Munich headquarters.
Since then, artists such as Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Daniel Barenboim,
Jonas Kaufmann and architect Zaha Hadid have co-operated with BMW. In
2016 and 2017, female artist Cao Fei from China and American John
Baldessari created the next two vehicles for the BMW Art Car
Collection. Besides co-initiatives, such as BMW Tate Live, the BMW Art
Journey and the “Opera for All” concerts in Berlin, Munich and London,
the company also partners with leading museums and art fairs as well
as orchestras and opera houses around the world. The BMW Group takes
absolute creative freedom in all its cultural activities – as this
initiative is as essential for producing groundbreaking artistic work
as it is for major innovations in a successful business.

Further information: www.bmwgroup.com/culture
and www.bmwgroup.com/culture/overview 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMW-Group-Culture-925330854231870/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroupculture/

@BMWGroupCulture

#BMWGroupCulture

 

The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW
Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and
motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services.
As a global company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly
facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than
140 countries.

 

In 2016, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.367 million cars and
145,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax was approximately
€ 9.67 billion on revenues amounting to € 94.16 billion. As of 31
December 2016, the BMW Group had a workforce of 124,729 employees.

 

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term
thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established
ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain,
comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to
conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

 

www.bmwgroup.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BMWGroup

Twitter: http://twitter.com/BMWGroup

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/BMWGroupview

Google+: http://googleplus.bmwgroup.com