Mr. Vikram Pawah, President and CEO, BMW Group India, said, "BMW Group India is a steadfast champion of the arts and cultural landscape across India. We take immense pride in our creative collaboration with the India Art Fair, as it continues to champion India's diverse and thriving contemporary arts landscape. Our shared vision for a future that is both creative and sustainable is perfectly encapsulated by the latest edition of 'The Future is Born of Art' Commission. This groundbreaking initiative explores how the harmonious integration of ecological and technological thinking can create a more sustainable, balanced, and regenerative world - all through the captivating lens of an artist's vision. We eagerly await the opportunity to welcome audiences from India and around the globe at the fair, where they will experience the transformative power of art and technology, united in the pursuit of a better tomorrow."
‘The Future is Born of Art’ Commission
‘The Future is Born of Art’ Commission, led by BMW India and India Art Fair is an annual commission designed to platform a promising young Indian artist on a global stage. Now in its fourth edition, the 2025 Commission invited emerging artists to propose an immersive installation centred around BMW iX1 LWB, MINI Countryman Electric and BMW Motorrad CE 02 and BMW Motorrad CE 04, reflecting on the theme of ‘Ecocentrism’. ‘Ecocentrism’ puts forward a worldview in which ecological and technological thinking coexist, imagining visions for a brighter, more sustainable future.
As winners of the prestigious ‘Future is Born of Art’ Commission, led by BMW and India Art Fair, Non-Linear (Dennis Peter) and Cursorama (Yash Chandak) join the ranks of India’s most promising artistic voices. The annual commission challenges emerging artists to create large-scale installations that explore topical themes built on shared values of BMW and India Art Fair. Previous winners, Sashikanth Thavudoz (2024), Devika Sundar (2023) and Faiza Hasan (2022), have set the stage with visionary works exploring community, materiality and ecology.
Non-Linear and Cursorama’s winning project, Biolume, is an ambitious 180-degree multimedia experience inspired by bioluminescent organisms. With interactive screens that respond to audience movements, the installation creates a feedback loop between human actions and their immersive environment. The space is filled with original sound, ranging from serene melodies to glitchy soundscapes.
The installation has three dynamic scenes:
The Surface: Hypnotic interplay of coastal waves and glowing organisms
The Depths: Pulsating forms and evolving networks mimicking underwater life
The Electric Abyss: A futuristic landscape merging organic and mechanical forms
Biolume integrates generative design and biomimicry to place audiences inside an abstracted, glowing oceanic world. “Bioluminescence is nature’s sci-fi—a glowing, electric language that exists in harmony with its surroundings,” Peter explains. The project underscores the role of art as a tool for fostering ecological and social dialogue. “As artists, we see it as our responsibility to reflect on how technology and art can inspire change,” says the duo.
BMW Art Talk
On the theme of ‘From Introspection to Impact: Artists Shaping the World’ will be held on 7 February 2025 at the India Art Fair. This talk allows for a deeper introspection into the practices of artists by renowned artists Shirazeh Houshiary, Bharti Kher and Pushpamala N. with moderator Prof. Dr. Thomas Girst, Head of Cultural Engagement, BMW Group. In a polarised world, artists allow us to see beyond the surface level – to think more deeply and be challenged, and to create spaces for kinship and solidarity across borders and generations. In keeping track of how the world has evolved, artists punctuate these moments with their art and bridge cultural ecosystems which is the DNA of BMW’s role in art and culture.
About BMW Group India Cultural Commitment
The BMW Group has initiated and been engaged in hundreds of global cultural initiatives for over 50 years. From music to film, from architecture to design, contemporary art has played an essential role – via long-term institutional partnerships with major museums or partnering with the leading art fairs around the world, such as Art Basel and Frieze from Los Angeles, New York and Miami, to Seoul, Hong kong, Paris, and London.
Since its inception, BMW India has participated in leading cultural engagements across the country. In 2007, two BMW Art Cars embellished by world-renowned artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein were presented at the Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai. BMW Art Car by Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Sandro Chia and Cesar Manrique have been exclusively showcased at various editions of the India Art Fair.
Since its inception in 2012, BMW has partnered with Kochi-Muziris Biennale, the contemporary art exhibition, which brings international artists to India and creates a global platform for Indian artists. In 2012-13, the innovative BMW Guggenheim Lab came to India. Based at Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum and conducted at six different venues in Mumbai, the lab organised six weeks of free programmes with diverse audiences and communities addressing the challenges and conditions of the urban city.
The BMW Group's Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.
About India Art Fair
India Art Fair is the leading platform to discover modern and contemporary art from South Asia. Since its establishment in 2008, India Art Fair has provided a unique access point to the region’s thriving cultural scene; drawing together galleries, artists, private foundations, arts charities, artist collectives, national institutions, cultural events, and festivals. Taking place annually in India’s capital, New Delhi, the fair reflects India’s dynamic art community, while offering insights into the creative landscapes of the wider region and enabling international audiences to engage with the cultural history and development of the region. The fair is committed to supporting arts education and professional development opportunities, recognising the crucial need to support the development of the local arts scene and provide dedicated exhibition space to emerging galleries and arts organisations. In 2025, India Art Fair introduces an expanded year-round programme of events, with a particular focus on developing meaningful initiatives in collaboration with key local stakeholders to complement existing programming and strengthen the market in the diverse span of art hubs across India. India Art Fair is owned and operated by Angus Montgomery Arts (AMA), a division of Angus Montgomery Ltd. indiaartfair.in
BMW Group Cultural Engagement
Why Culture? Why not! Culture is knowledge, a sanctuary of beauty and depth, of meaning and peace. An inspiring escape. Tranquil at best, even unsettling sometimes. As corporate citizen, the BMW Group takes social responsibility seriously, as part of which it has been involved in hundreds of cultural initiatives worldwide for over half a century, both in the arts, music & sound, architecture as well as in design. As a long-term partner, creative freedom is key – and as essential for groundbreaking works as it is for major innovations within a business enterprise like ours.
Further information: www.bmwgroup.com/culture and www.bmwgroup.com/overview
Instagram: @BMWGroupCulture
If you have any queries, please contact:
BMW Group India
Abhay Dange, Director, Press and Corporate Affairs
Cell: +91 9910481013; Tel: + 91 124 4566600; Email: Abhay.Dange@bmw.in
Satchit Gayakwad, Press and Corporate Affairs
Cell: +91 9560725900; Tel: + 91 124 4566906; Email: Satchit.Gayakwad@bmw.in
Internet: www.bmw.in
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