Market Art Fair 2025, Scandinavia’s longest running premier art fair, opens its 19th edition this Thursday, May 15 (until Sunday, May 18), presenting a record-breaking 51 galleries from across the globe at Liljevalchs Konsthall on Stockholm’s Djurgården island. For the fourth consecutive year, BMW Sweden proudly partners with the fair, underscoring their shared commitment to art, innovation, and cultural exchange.
This year’s collaboration brings a fresh perspective to the streets of Stockholm as internationally renowned German artist Gregor Hildebrandt unveils his unique design for BMW’s fully electric shuttle fleet. Seven BMW i5 Sedans and i7 models, wrapped in the artist’s visuals, will be in service throughout the fair, transporting VIP guests between venues. One of the cars will also be prominently displayed outside Liljevalchs, making the artwork accessible to the general public.
A dynamic partnership
BMW’s relationship with Market Art Fair began in 2022, and since then, their collaboration has grown in scope and creativity. While the first year featured a single car on display outside the venue, 2023 marked the debut of the VIP shuttle service with six BMW i7 models wrapped in designs by Swedish-Estonian artist Siiri Jüris (Galleri Duerr). In 2024, seven vehicles – BMW i5 Sedans and i7 models –featured works by Swedish artist Katrin Westman (GSA Gallery). This year, Gregor Hildebrandt continues the tradition, bringing his art the streets of Stockholm with a fleet of seven vehicles.
Hildebrandt’s work, “Letztes Jahr in Marienbad, 2022”, was originally created for an exhibition at Atelierele Malmaison in Bucharest and draws inspiration from the classic film “Last Year at Marienbad”. The artwork incorporates a VHS recording of the film’s first third and explores themes of memory and motion.
“For me, this is a fantastic opportunity to create a kinetic sculpture in a public space,” said Hildebrandt. “I envisioned the film’s fragmented narrative driving through Stockholm as a way to merge the past and the present in a mobile form.”
Hildebrandt, represented by Avlskarl Gallery at Market Art Fair 2025, is celebrated for his innovative use of materials such as cassette tapes and vinyl records, which he transforms into paintings, sculptures, and installations. His work resonates with the transient nature of memory and movement, making it a perfect fit for BMW’s commitment to blending art and mobility.
50 Years of BMW Art Cars
This year’s partnership also celebrates a milestone in BMW’s cultural legacy: the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Car Collection. Since 1975, 20 artists, including Alexander Calder, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jeff Koons, have transformed BMW vehicles into “rolling sculptures”. In honor of this occasion, four iconic BMW Art Cars will be showcased in Sweden for the first during the fair:
Alexander Calder: BMW 3.0 CSL (1975)
Roy Lichtenstein: BMW 320 Group 5 (1977)
Andy Warhol: BMW M1 Group 4 (1979)
Jeff Koons: BMW M3 GT2 (2010)
“For BMW, the combination of art and mobility has always been a passion,” said Johanna Kriisa, Managing Director of BMW Sweden. “This fourth year of partnership with Market Art Fair brings together art history, contemporary creativity, and the future of electrification. With the BMW Art Cars, Gregor Hildebrandt’s mobile artwork, and our fully electric shuttles, we are offering visitors a truly unique experience.”
A global stage for Nordic art
Market Art Fair 2025 is a landmark event in its own right. Historically focused on Scandinavian galleries, this year marks the fair’s first international expansion, welcoming exhibitors from across the globe. A distinguished selection committee of Nordic museum directors and curators ensures that the fair maintains its reputation for bold artistic visions and curatorial excellence.
For the first time, Market Art Fair will take over the entire Liljevalchs building, including Gert Wingårdh’s striking 2021 modernist extension, Liljevalchs+. This iconic venue, nestled on Djurgården’s serene island park, provides the perfect setting for the fair’s dynamic program of discovery, dialogue, and dealmaking.
Sara Berner Bengtsson, Director and CEO of Market Art Fair, said: “For 50 years, BMW’s pioneering work at the intersection of art and innovation, has transformed vehicles into canvases that carry artistic visions across cities and cultures. This legacy aligns with Market Art Fair’s mission to champion bold creativity and collaborations that bridge disciplines and inspire fresh perspectives. BMW’s longstanding commitment to artists mirrors our belief in art’s transformative power, and we’re proud to celebrate this milestone with them. We can’t wait to see Gregor Hildebrandt’s striking designs animating Stockholm’s streets—art and motion in true BMW style. Here’s to many more years of driving creativity forward.”
Driving art forward
As BMW Sweden and Market Art Fair continue their dynamic partnership, the intersection of art and mobility takes on new dimensions. From Hildebrandt’s unique design for BMW’s fully electric shuttle vehicles on the streets of Stockholm to the legacy of the BMW Art Cars on display, this year’s collaboration offers a glimpse into a future where art and innovation drive forward together.
