In 2011, the BMW Group, one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the world, is celebrating 40 years of its cultural involvement at the Venice Biennale. The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action, as well as on its support of wide range of cultural events. Among them the most famous are: the BMW Guggenheim Lab, the Nationalgalerie Prize and the Hungarian Pavilion.

The BMW Group’s cultural program sponsors more than 100 events worldwide and has been a key element of corporate communications for almost 40 years. The company focuses on its long-term commitment to modern art, music, architecture and design, and guarantees creative freedom in all cultural activities it is involved in. World famous artists and architects such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Olafur Eliasson, Thomas Demand, Jeff Koons, Karl Schwanzer and Zaha Hadid have cooperated with BMW. It also sponsors the formats of numerous museums worldwide.

On June 2, the BMW Group and the Guggenheim Foundation will be hosting luncheon in Venice in honour of the BMW Guggenheim Lab, the latest and biggest international cultural venture. It will be launched in New York on August 3, 2011 before travelling the world. An innovative movable structure will go from city to city, bringing together innovative thinkers from around the world for sharing ideas and practical solutions on major issues of urban life.

Image: www.bmwgroup.com

A further event will be the announcement of the second jury for the Nationalgalerie Prize for young artists, which will be marked by cocktail reception in St. Mark’s Square. On September 28, 2011, the jury will select the winner from the four nominated artists—Cyprien Gaillard, Klara Lidén, Kitty Kraus and Andro Wekua, who will be showcasing their works in a joint exhibition at the Hamburger Bahnhof contemporary art museum in Berlin.

Image: www.bmwgroup.com

The BMW Group has also supported the artist Hajnal Németh’s contribution to the Hungarian Pavilion. Németh’s installation, which celebrates a crashed BMW as a tragic hero, will be on show in the Hungarian national pavilion for the duration of the Biennale.