Munich/London. For the seventh consecutive year,
Frieze and BMW continue their long-term partnership with the art
initiative BMW Open Work. French artist Sara
Sadik worked closely with BMW to present “LA POTION (EH)” – a
video and gaming experience, using BMW’s My Modes and the new
AirConsole technology of the BMW i5 as a playing device. Both works
will premiere at KOKO inside the BMW Open Work Lounge during Frieze
London, which runs October 11-15, 2023. In celebration of their
collaboration, Frieze and BMW proudly announce London-based musician
Loyle Carner as this year’s Frieze
Music performer.
BMW Open Work is a joint initiative between Frieze
and BMW, bringing together art, innovation, technology and design in a
pioneering multi-platform format. Curated by Attilia Fattori
Franchini, BMW Open Work invites an artist to develop an
ambitious project utilising BMW technology and design to pursue their
practice in new directions. This year, the invited artist is
Marseille-based Sara Sadik, whose practice lies halfway between
fiction and documentary. Her work, be it video or performance, is
inspired by video games, anime, science-fiction as well as French rap,
and puts forward characters facing challenges and striving to achieve
moral and physical transformation through initiatory stories.
Sara Sadik, says: “For my BMW Open Work 2023
commission I was interested in creating a work that could have
transformational qualities for its viewers. I chose the title ‘LA
POTION (EH)’ to hint at a tangible emotional metamorphosis. Inspired
by a close dialogue with the BMW gaming (Air Console) and My Modes
teams, I decided to see the BMW i5 as a character, the Avatar Neregy
exploring different imaginary worlds both in the video game and in the
video. It is also extremely exciting for me to build for the first
time a work that can be seen by the general public during Frieze Week
on the outside of KOKO as well as played exclusively in the car.”
Conceived as part of BMW Open Work 2023, “LA POTION
(EH)” continues the artist’s interest in the possibilities of
computer-generated scenarios and her investigation into the changing
emotional states of young male characters. The project unfolds as an
interactive video game, devised to be played exclusively in the new,
fully electric BMW i5 as well as a video installation presented both
on the public-facing terrace of KOKO and inside the BMW Lounge. Guided
by the Avatar Neregy, a virtually alienated character who struggles to
connect with people, the viewer follows him across different worlds,
tasks, and challenges to complete his quest for psychological healing
and transformation.
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“I am delighted that our successful partnership with Frieze
continues. BMW’s commitment to contemporary art is an integral part of
our worldwide cultural engagement which has been ongoing for over 50
years. I am pleased that so many will get to experience Sara Sadik’s
‘BMW Open Work’, which has been specially conceived for the fully
electric BMW i5”, says Christopher Brownridge, Chief Executive
Officer, BMW Group UK and Ireland.
Inspired by dialogues with the gaming team
(AirConsole) as well as the My Modes – which allows
the driver to set the car to their mood – Sadik has imagined the new
BMW i5 as a character, a unique device that invites the public to
delve into their emotions. Turning the car, for the first time in BMW
Open Work history, into a special experiential device through the
immersive activation of light and sound features and embracing the
topics of human centricity and digitalization, the BMW i5 becomes a
sentient being, a journey companion.
“Working with an exciting and visionary artist such as Sara Sadik on
this project has brought BMW Open Work to a new frontier. Her new
video and playable game LA POTION (EH) was spurred from an intense
collaboration with BMW experts and imagines, for the first time, the
BMW i5 as a guiding character, a device and an exhibition venue. I
can’t wait to let the work guide us through imaginary worlds and
challenges to explore the changing emotional states of users/players
and drivers alike”, explains Attilia Fattori Franchini,
Curator, BMW Open Work.
Frieze Music
In celebration of their long-term
collaboration, BMW partners with Frieze to present Frieze Music in
London again. On October 12, Mercury Music
Prize-nominated artist Loyle Carner will perform at
the legendary KOKO Theatre. Loyle Carner is an English Hip-Hop
musician celebrated for his sophisticated style. He has received three
Brit Award nominations for British Breakthrough Act (2018), British
Male Solo Artist (2018) and British Urban Act (2023). In addition,
Keyrah will start with a DJ set for an evening
celebrating 20 years of Frieze London.
Exploring the intersection of music and the arts to spark inspiring
dialogues, Frieze Music provides artists the opportunity to create a
unique performance, highlighting their craft through song, inspiration
and conversations with fellow artists. Launched during the inaugural
Frieze Los Angeles in 2019, the joint initiative between BMW and
Frieze has brought together a wide range of musicians.
Emily Glazebrook, Commercial Director, Frieze,
says:“We are delighted to continue our partnership with BMW,
highlighting Frieze’s commitment to exploring the possibilities of
art, design, and technology. Since 2017, BMW has consistently
amplified the voices of leading and emerging international artists and
musicians through our joint initiatives, both at the fair and across
the city. We eagerly anticipate this year’s collaborations for Frieze
London and Frieze Masters, with Sara Sadik leading BMW Open Work and
Loyle Carner taking centre stage with Frieze Music, as we celebrate
Frieze London’s 20th Anniversary and the thriving creative spirit of
the capital.”
Further information can be found at https://frieze.com/bmw-open-work
and https://www.frieze.com/tags/frieze-music
The BMW Group’s Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and
deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on
Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.
The BMW Open Work Lounge and “LA POTION (EH)” can be
explored at KOKO by Frieze ticket holders and members of The House of KOKO:
Wednesday, October 11, 2023: 11am to 7pm
Thursday, October 12 –
Sunday, October 15, 2023: 10am – 7pm
Location
The Penthouse
The House of KOKO
London
NW1 7RE
BMW i5 M60 xDrive*:
Power consumption combined in WLTP cycle: 20.6 – 18.2 kWh/100
km
Electric range in WLTP cycle: 455 – 516 km
*All figures
are preliminary values.
