An Expression of Joy: Painting Dynamics, created by the new BMW Z4. - Unique Performance: Artist Robin Rhode, Director Jake Scott and the brand new BMW Roadster.

Munich./Los Angeles. Imagine a canvas nearly as large as a football
field. On it bold, swirling shapes in primary colors like red, yellow
and blue. As the eye uncovers the rhythm of the lines, curves, circles
and color splotches, something else is revealed: these forms must have
been created by tire treads! A work of art like no other, created by an
artist like no other - the new BMW Z4 Roadster. Over the years BMW has
offered great contemporary artists the chance to express themselves on
the surfaces of a variety of the marque's sports cars. However, the art
performance created by the young South-African Robin Rhode daringly
moves beyond the concept behind the BMW Art Car Collection. Here the car
is no longer just a stunning model, but itself executing artist.
"This work is an expression of painting in action - my hope is to
communicate the power and thrill inherent in the creation of art",
says Rhode. "For me, the use of an untraditional paintbrush like a
high performance car is a great way to investigate the relationship
between emotion, technology and industrial creativity." The
development of the picture, this process of formation itself is as
important as the completed oeuvre. For this reason the Z4 performance is
suggestively titled "An Expression of Joy". The powerful and
vibrant images created by the treads on the huge canvas appear dynamic
and spontaneous, as if created out of the whim of the moment. Yet each
movement had been painstakingly planned to the last detail and was the
result of an immense technical effort. Unlike the legendary
"action paintings" created by Jackson Pollock nothing was
left to chance. As an artist working at the cutting edge of performing
and fine arts, Robin Rhode is an experienced planner and capable of
organizing and directing a large technical staff, but with "An
Expression of Joy" even he broke new ground. This in every respect
extraordinary work of art that was to emerge in the huge Downey Studios
of Los Angeles offered another equally challenging aspect. During the
creation of the painting, prize-winning young director Jake Scott
intended to film the complete performance for the TV campaign
accompanying the new Z4 Roadster's launch in 2009. But how was the
palette of colors actually applied to the tires? How was the BMW Z4
harnessed to Robin Rhode's specific concept? And how was Jake Scott able
to transform this dynamic act of creation into an equally fascinating
film? These questions reflect how many demanding aspects needed to be
dealt with in order to create a performance blending high tech and
artistic vision. Obviously, in the beginning was an idea. The idea was
to present the innovative next generation of the BMW Z4 in a totally
unusual location. "One source of inspiration was the seminal work
of Gerhard Richter's series of paintings 'Red, Yellow, Blue' made in
1973 for the company headquarters in Munich, Germany", Rhode
explains. Another reference point were the experimental optic animations
from the 1920's and German Expressionist Film. "The tracks left by
the tires combine the two-dimensional plane of the picture with the
three-dimensional space of the actual driving experience." The
artist began by sketches, using black finger paints on paper to draw an
outline of the general shapes and rhythms. Then Robin Rhode created the
visual equivalent of a storyboard with the exact details of each
driving sequence and the specific color used. Of course, the driver
received a copy of the storyboard that he was able to prop up in the
cockpit. Since it was nearly impossible to follow the development of
the emerging tracks, given the sheer size of the pictoral dimensions,
Rhode also furnished a miniature of "An Expression of Joy"
complete with two models of the car in order to simulate driving
maneuvers in advance of the actual "paint drive". The art
performance was a challenge for the driver as well as driving the MINI
for the movie "Italian Job". Accustomed to taking high
performance cars to their limit on test tracks, here he needed to
follow the exacting choreography established by Rhode. Which meant
executing the same moves back and forth several times if the artist
wasn't satisfied by the specific color intensity, and yet keeping the
tracks of the treads perfectly aligned each time. Each of the colors
was individually applied through remote-controlled nozzles mounted near
the axles of the roadster. To avoid an accidental mix of the colors due
to residue in the treads, new sets of tires were constantly being
rolled in and carefully exchanged, a feat of logistics in itself. From
time to time a sock-clad Robin Rhode literally stepped into the picture
to pour on more color, where necessary adding generous drips. An
alluring aspect accidentally created by this motorized paint brush were
the sprays and splotches of color highlighting the wheel casings of the
Z4, resulting in visual traces and echoes of the dynamics of the
composition. The monumental canvas itself was composed of individual
segments that had been attached together to create a surface measuring
100' by 200' and thus allowing the driving and painting process to be
sequenced in quadrants. This solution also benefits all future storing
and moving of the artwork. Segments of the spectacular giant picture
will be on the road in 2009, first to be shown at the Detroit Motor
Show. Robin Rhode and his team executed the project in 12 hours. That
was also the time frame essentially allotted to director Jake Scott and
his crew in which to shoot the Z4's chromatic driving movements. The
challenge was that each segment of his film for the BMW campaign needed
to be "just right" the first time around. The usual number of
takes just would not possible for this kind of recording. Scott, who is
just wrapping up his first feature-length film, has won numerous prizes
for music videos and commercials. The cinematographer was able to draw
on his experience documenting rock concerts in order to deal with the
singular character of this particular live performance. The dynamic
undertaking of a car painting was captured with 45 simultaneous camera
angles. So, while Robin Rhode was watching the color choreography
unfurl, Jake Scott kept a critical eye on all the many screens
monitoring the camera movements. "It is always a gift for a
filmmaker to watch an artist of any discipline work", Scott
recounts. "It is creation at its core and I have been privileged
to observe musicians, actors and now a significant, young artist. I am
excited to showcase the rarely seen link between art and technology in
action." The huge space of the studio and the giant dimensions of
the lowered tub in which the canvas had been spread out, offered
exciting vantage points for the placement of the cameras. At the same
time it also meant coordinating two highly complex and diverse projects
- the actual art performance and the shooting of a TV commercial - down
to the last second. But despite this double challenge demanding
concentration and precision timing the atmosphere surrounding all the
teams involved was relaxed. Robin Rhode The artist, who was born in
1976 in Cape Town and now lives in Berlin, has made a name for himself
in the past few years on account of his distinctive artistic work. His
oeuvre centers on performances that have evolved from his experiences
as a highschool student growing in the Johannesburg suburbs,
supplemented culture (sports, music, and fashion) that he likes to
mingle with the process of "making art". In 2001, Rhode was
nominated for South Africa's FNB Vita Art Prize. He has been included
in several group exhibitions, including Dislocation. Image. Identity.
South Africa, Centro Cultural de Maria, O'Porto, Portugal (2002); Shelf
Life, Gasworks Gallery, London, England (2001); and Juncture, The
Granary, Cape Town, and Studio Voltaire, London (2001). His solo
exhibitions include Fresh: Robin Rhode at South Africa National Gallery,
Cape Town (2000). Jake Scott The Englishman Jake Scott, born 1965,
has been directing commercials and music videos for over 15 years,
during which time he has accumulated stellar recognition in his field
such as numerous MTV awards, a Grammy Nomination, an Emmy and the Grand
Prix at Cannes. His clients include renowned brands like Adidas,
American Express, AOL, Coca Cola and JP Morgan. The list of artists he
has worked with also reads like a Who's Who of the music industry: REM,
U2, Smashing Pumpkins and George Michaels. Jake Scott who ist the son
of famous director Sir Ridley Scott ("Alien", "Blade
Runner", "Gladiator") has just completed work on his
second feature-length film, "Welcome to the Riley's" with
"Sopranos" star James Gandolfini.