BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA

At Frieze Los Angeles 2024, BMW debuted the BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA — a one-of-a-kind concept car and a tribute to Dr Esther Mahlangu's 1991 BMW Art Car, the 12th in the BMW Art Car collection.

The NOSTOKANA is not an Art Car; it is a kinetic sculpture that brings to life the vibrant colours and geometric patterns of the artist using BMW's colour-changing E Ink exterior coat. Named after Dr Mahlangu's eldest son, the NOSTOKANA pays homage to her initial collaboration with BMW in 1991, which centred around a BMW 525i and marked the first time a woman and the first time an African artist joined the Art Car programme.

A Technological and Artistic Showcase

To transform Dr Mahlangu's moving patterns onto the vehicle, BMW research engineer Stella Clarke and her team outfitted the car with 1,349 E Ink film segments — each containing several million responsive microcapsules — that can be controlled to mimic the complex array of colours. "The material can represent any colour you like," Clarke explains. "That's why we thought this concept fit wonderfully together."

E Ink requires very little energy (less than 20 watts to change a car's surface) and is bistable — meaning it needs no energy to hold a state. The result is a fully electric vehicle whose exterior shifts through Dr Mahlangu's distinctive Ndebele patterns and aesthetic.

A Longstanding Bond

"In South Africa, our plant there is 50 years old. When we celebrated the anniversary last year, Esther Mahlangu created the logo. We have such a strong bond with her. We created the Electric AI masterpiece with her," says Dr Thomas Girst, BMW Group's Head of Cultural Engagement. BMW also supports Dr Mahlangu's school, where she carries on the tradition of Ndebele art.

Craig Mark, founder of The Melrose Gallery, acted as a bridge between Dr Mahlangu and BMW for the NOSTOKANA. "Dr Mahlangu was very excited by the technology and the idea of her artworks being used to change the car and to be presented to new audiences. We sent her and the family a video of the final car... and Dr Mahlangu called us. She was laughing and said that it was so beautiful she feels like learning how to drive."

Coupled with the shifting visual patterns of the in-person experience at Frieze, the NOSTOKANA was paired with its own soundscape, composed by Renzo Vitale, BMW Group's Creative Director, Sound — weaving in sequences of Dr Mahlangu's voice, the sound of the feather brushes she paints with, and the scratch of coloured pencils from the BMW design studio.