Doha, Qatar: BMW has been a global partner of Art Basel for over two decades, supporting visionary artistic voices across its shows.
To mark the inaugural edition of Art Basel Qatar, and as part of the BMW Art Car World Tour, BMW will present David Hockney’s BMW Art Car (1995) in Doha, alongside an opening reception at the BMW Lounge, celebrating the enduring dialogue between contemporary art, innovation and mobility.Art Basel Qatar – with Visit Qatar as the fair’s Lead Partner – will be held from 5-7 February 2026 (with Preview Days from 3-4 February), across Msheireb Downtown Doha venues M7 and Doha Design District, as well as other locations and venues in the area.
As the AssociatePartner of Art Basel globally, BMW continued its longstanding support for the fair’s VIP car service.Within this context, Alfardan Automobiles, the official importer of BMW in Qatar, is providing an elevated VIP guest mobility experience with its luxurious BMW fleet.
Omar Alfardan, CEO and Managing Director of Alfardan Corporation, said:“The inauguration of Art Basel Qatar represents far more than the arrival of a world renowned art fair to our region. It marks a transformative milestone for Qatar’s cultural evolution and its growing presence on the global creative stage. Showcasing David Hockney’s iconic BMW Art Car in Doha is a powerful testament to how art, design, and innovation can intersect to inspire new perspectives, and reshape how communities engage with culture. This masterpiece stands as a symbol of creative exchange and the limitless possibilities that emerge when artistic expression meets visionary craftsmanship.”
On the occasion of Art Basel’s first edition in Qatar, BMW brings one of the most celebrated works from its Art Car Collection to the region. Exhibited at the iconic Sahat Wadi Msheireb Plaza, Hockney’s BMW Art Car transforms the automobile into an X-ray-like vision, revealing its interior, occupants and movement.
The presentation highlights Hockney’s fascination with colour, perspective and the passage of time, while placing his visual language in dialogue with five decades of BMW Art Car history.
BMW Lounge at Art Basel Qatar 2026
To celebrate Art Basel Qatar, BMW presents the BMW Lounge at M7, open to visitors throughout the exhibition’s official opening hours. The Lounge offers guests the opportunity to explore the BMW Art Car Collection in miniature, providing a curated insights into BMW’s long-standing engagement with contemporary art.
An opening reception will be held for guests, with opening remarks by artist Christoph Niemann, Tom Eccles (Executive Director, Centre for Curatorial Studies, Bard College) and Prof. Dr. Thomas Girst (Head of Cultural Engagement, BMW Group). The speakers will reflect on the ongoing dialogue between contemporary art, automotive innovation and the cultural legacy of David Hockney and the BMW Art Car Collection.
The 14th BMW Art Car: David Hockney, 1995
Born in Bradford, England, in 1937, David Hockney is one of the most influential artists of his generation. A graduate of the Royal College of Art, he emerged from the circles of Swinging Sixties London to define a highly distinctive form of international Pop Art.
David Hockney’s Art Car offers a radical reinterpretation of automotive paintwork by effectively turning the car inside out. Like an X-ray, the design reveals the anatomy of the car and its occupants: the outline of the driver appears on the door, while Hockney’s dachshund Stanley sits on the back seat. Stylised engine components span the bonnet, while sweeping fields of green evoke landscape, motion and time.
The BMW Art Car World Tour
Following the successful launch of the BMW Art Car World Tour 2025 and the presentation of Andy Warhol’s BMW Art Car #4 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, BMW continues this journey by bringing another legendary Art Car to the Middle East. With Hockney’s BMW Art Car, now presented in Doha, BMW further strengthens the dialogue between contemporary art and automotive innovation across the region.
For over 50 years, the BMW Art Car Collection has provided artists with a unique platform to engage with automobiles as spaces for artistic experimentation. From Alexander Calder and Andy Warhol to Jenny Holzer, Jeff Koons and Julie Mehretu, the 20 BMW Art Cars represent a cross-section of contemporary art history, spanning minimalism, pop art, abstraction, conceptual and digital art.
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the BMW Art Car World Tour presents an ambitious global exhibition programme across all five continents.
The tour underscores BMW’s long-term commitment to cultural engagement, bringing together art, technology, motorsport and design in a uniquely mobile museum of “rolling sculptures”.
