In support of this year’s Horizon Festival, two locally produced “BMW Art Cars”, featuring the artworks of selected Sunshine Coast Art Prize 2018 finalists John Aslanidis and Monica Rohan, will hit the streets today (August 7) thanks to Coastline BMW.

Beyond simply being eye-catching billboards for the Sunshine Coast region’s signature multi-arts festival, the Coastline BMW Horizon Art Cars pay homage to the iconic BMW Art Car project, a long-running art series introduced in 1975 by French race car driver and auctioneer Hervé Poulain.

Arts Portfolio Councillor Rick Baberowski said the attention-grabbing cars were another unique way to take art out of our galleries and onto the streets.

“By creating these two travelling artworks, we are putting art out amongst the broader community and reaching people that may not otherwise take the chance to see the works during the Sunshine Coast Art Prize exhibition at Caloundra Regional Gallery,” Cr Baberowski said.

“In addition, the BMW Art Cars, and the Horizon Art Bus launched earlier this year, provide an outstanding opportunity for our local artists to develop new commercial relationships while having their work presented in an inventive way.”

Coastline BMW dealer principal Brad Butcher said the Art Cars echoed BMW’s involvement in the arts sphere internationally.

“Coastline BMW has been actively involved in the Sunshine Coast arts community for more than 25 years,” Mr Butcher said.

“This was a legacy created by our founder, Karl Kurz, a painter and passionate lover and patron of the arts during his lifetime.

“The Horizon Art Cars are a captivating symbol of Coastline BMW continuing to move the arts forward on the Sunshine Coast.”

Since 1975, several iconic artists have been commissioned to paint original works onto BMW Art Cars, including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Michael Nelson Jagamarra, Ken Done and Jeff Koons.

The most recent BMW Art Car was commissioned by Chinese multimedia artist Cao Fei in 2017.

The Horizon Art Cars will travel throughout the region until mid-September and will be seen at key events including the Sunshine Coast Art Prize official opening and winner’s announcement at Caloundra Regional Gallery on August 30.