World premiere of "FRANCHISE FREEDOM - A flying sculpture by Studio Drift in partnership with BMW" during Art Basel in Miami Beach

Miami Beach. Last night at South Beach, Amsterdam based Studio Drift, Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta, presented their latest work "FRANCHISE FREEDOM - a flying sculpture by Studio Drift in partnership with BMW". On the occasion of Art Basel in Miami Beach, 300 illuminated drones moved across the sky above the ocean mimicking a flock of birds and creating a performative artwork at the interface between technology, science, and art.

Hildegard Wortmann, Senior Vice President Brand BMW, says: "It was Edmund Burke - in the middle of the 18th century within his well-known treatise on the sublime - who wrote of beauty as being a movement. This is what Studio Drift and Bayerische Motoren Werke both wholeheartedly subscribe to. 'FRANCHISE FREEDOM' is a technological wonder and a breathtaking aesthetic experience."

By imitating the natural phenomenon of a swarm of birds with drones, it is the first time for this orchestrated movement to be presented by machines working with decentralized algorithms at a very large scale. Additional shows weather permitting are planned nightly at 8 PM until December 10 between 32nd and 33rd Street off Collins Avenue behind the Faena Hotel Miami Beach. They are visible from a large distance - detailed timing will be shared on Instagram by Studio Drift @studio.drift, by Pace Gallery @pacegallery and by BMW on Instagram @bmwgroupculture and Facebook #bmwgroupculture.

While Studio Drift presented their artwork "FRANCHISE FREEDOM" in Miami Beach, Bayerische Motoren Werke had one of their latest masterpieces on site: the BMW Concept 8 Series.

Further information available at: www.press.bmwgroup.com
Video footage: https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/global/tv-footage

- Cross reference: Picture is available at AP Images (http://www.apimages.com) -

Contact:

Dr Thomas Girst
BMW Group Corporate and Governmental Affairs
Head of Cultural Engagement

Telephone: +49 89 382 24753

Email: presse@bmw.de