A comic-inspired BMW

In the opinion of the American thinker John Dewey (1859-1952), every form of life is shaped by the reciprocal effects of an organism (no matter how simple or complex) and its environment. It was Jeff Koons who reminded us of this fact on April 5 at a media breakfast in Manhattan that, thanks to the intense philosophical atmosphere, quickly became a sort of pop symposium.

US artist Jeff Koons (1955) and the BMW 8 X Jeff Koons model. Introduced at the beginning of 2022, this 99-piece Limited Edition of the new BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe is no 

longer available

The artist from York, Pennsylvania, is firmly convinced that that same internal/external perspective is the true engine of every authentic life and experience, as long as one has the courage to open theirself to the world. The engine of the BMW The 8 X Jeff Koons, the car created by the artist in a limited edition of 99, appears to have been designed on purpose to ensure high-octane emotions, with an energy that is not only that of horsepower.

The pop to which Koons pays homage both here and elsewhere, that of American comic book speech bubbles, offers unexpected perspectives, a common feature in the work of the artist. So, the puff of steam between the front and rear doors, which by Koons’s own admission is the key motif of this car’s paintwork, hints at a much deeper energy, one that is democratically shared as much by those in the driver’s seat as its passengers. A car that is a work of art. Over 250 hours were required to hand-paint the bodywork of each car, not counting that a limited edition example specifically signed by Koons was auctioned off for charity purposes at Christie’s. At the same time a car that is a powerhouse of experiences and, ultimately, of the unique and one-off masterpiece that is each and everyone of us.