New Delhi, India – BMW Group India is continuing its decade-long partnership with the India Art Fair, presenting the 17th edition of the event from – at the NSIC Exhibition Grounds in New Delhi. This year’s fair marks a significant milestone, showcasing a record 135 exhibitors, including 94 commercial galleries, alongside prominent regional and international art institutions.
The collaboration underscores BMW’s commitment to cultural engagement in India, and the fair itself is positioned as South Asia’s leading platform for modern and contemporary art. This year’s event welcomes 26 new exhibitors, broadening its scope and solidifying its role as a key destination for art discovery in the region.
A Decade of Partnership and Artistic Innovation
Hardeep Singh Brar, President and CEO of BMW Group India, emphasized the importance of the partnership, stating, “BMW Group India’s decade-long partnership with India Art Fair reflects our unwavering belief that culture, creativity, and innovation are inseparable pillars of progress.” He further highlighted the company’s dedication to fostering a dynamic ecosystem where art and innovation drive transformation, not only within the automotive industry but also across society.
Central to BMW’s involvement is ‘The Future is Born of Art’ Commission, now in its fifth year. This initiative champions emerging Indian artists, providing a platform for their work on a global stage. This year’s commission, themed ‘Crafting in Continuum’, has been awarded to Afrah Shafiq for her immersive installation, ‘A Giant Sampler’.
Afrah Shafiq’s ‘A Giant Sampler’ – A Fusion of Tradition and Technology
Shafiq, a multimedia artist based in Goa, weaves together archives, history, folklore, and fantasy into speculative worlds shaped by remix culture. Her winning installation, prominently displayed on the fair’s façade for the first time, reimagines progress as a continuous process, blending traditional handcraft with digital systems and human touch.
Drawing inspiration from embroidery motifs and textile practices historically linked to women’s histories, ‘A Giant Sampler’ incorporates an interactive Augmented Reality (AR) experience. This allows visitors to engage with layered narratives of memory, movement, and transformation. Notably, the BMW wheel is rendered in cross-stitch, serving as a contemporary emblem of precision, motion, and cyclical change, connecting the brand’s heritage with artistic innovation.
Shafiq joins a distinguished group of previous ‘Future is Born of Art’ Commission winners, including Non-Linear (Dennis Peter) and Cursorama (Yash Chandak) in 2025, Sashikanth Thavudoz (2024), Devika Sundar (2023), and Faiza Hasan (2022). Their visionary works have previously explored themes of community, materiality, and ecology.
The BMW Concept Speedtop: A Showcase of Automotive Artistry
Beyond the commission, BMW is also showcasing the BMW Concept Speedtop at the BMW Collectors Lounge. The vehicle embodies the brand’s fusion of art, design, and innovation, presenting a bold vision of craftsmanship and performance.
The Concept Speedtop features a striking shark-nose front, illuminated kidney grille, flowing central spline, and distinctive Touring profile. Its exterior boasts a dramatic roof gradient transitioning from Floating Sunstone Maroon to Floating Sundown Silver, complemented by bespoke two-tone wheels.
Inside, the vehicle’s cabin reflects precise craftsmanship from BMW’s Dingolfing plant, featuring brogue-style detailing, two-tone leather in Sundown Maroon and Moonstone White, and an ambient light beam inspired by the exterior spline. The leather-finished trunk is designed for multi-day journeys.
A collaboration with Italian leather specialist Schedoni adds bespoke luggage and behind-seat storage, further emphasizing the concept’s exclusivity. Powered by BMW’s most powerful V8 engine, the Concept Speedtop combines dramatic design with exhilarating performance. Limited to just 70 units worldwide, it offers collectors a rare opportunity to own a unique automotive masterpiece.
BMW’s Long-Standing Cultural Commitment
BMW Group’s commitment to cultural initiatives spans over 50 years, encompassing music, film, architecture, design, and contemporary art. This commitment is demonstrated through long-term partnerships with major museums and art fairs globally, including Art Basel and Frieze events in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Seoul, Hong Kong, Paris, and London.
In India, BMW’s cultural engagements date back to 2007, with the presentation of BMW Art Cars embellished by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein at the Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai. BMW Art Cars by Jeff Koons, Sandro Chia, and Cesar Manrique have also been showcased at previous editions of the India Art Fair.
BMW has also partnered with the Kochi-Muziris Biennale since its inception in 2012, bringing international artists to India and providing a global platform for Indian artists. The innovative BMW Guggenheim Lab also came to India in 2012-13, organizing free programs at various venues in Mumbai to address urban challenges.
The 2026 India Art Fair marks a decade of partnership between BMW Group India and the fair, and five years of ‘The Future is Born of Art’ Commission, reinforcing their shared dedication to creativity, innovation, and sustainability at the intersection of art, design, and technology.
Further updates and insights into BMW Group’s global cultural initiatives can be found on Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.
