Blending the exquisite relationship and craftsmanship between cars, sound technology and creativity, artist Nikita Gale launched “62/22” in the BMW Lounge at Frieze London 2022.
Created in collaboration with BMW i7 designers and curated by Attilia Fattori Franchini, Gale’s sculptural installation comprises of five customised electric guitars, realised by a UK-based luthier, Ian Malone.
This commission with BMW and Frieze has been an exciting opportunity to further my long-standing interest in the interconnectedness of sound, space, and social systems. Having the opportunity to work with the incredibly enthusiastic i7 designers at BMW alongside the endlessly talented luthier Ian Malone was a dream come true.
Nikita Gale
The guitars are named with historic significance and after iconic Black female guitarists: Memphis Minnie, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Barbara Lynn, Big Mama Thornton, and Joan Armatrading.
Activated in the lounge through a series of live acts performed by musicians invited by Gale, the guitars were played through the BMW i7, transforming the car into a sound amp. The new all-electric BMW i7 is the latest generation of the brand’s flagship saloon, pioneering and redefining the luxury design and sound technology.
Frieze London and BMW continue their long-term partnership for the sixth consecutive year with the art initiative BMW Open Work by Frieze, whereby the brand invites an artist to develop an ambitious project utilising BMW design and technology to pursue their practice in innovative new directions.
Gales’ interest in the history of sound is prominent through “63/22”, seeing the artist reflect on the relationship between automotive and sound technologies, already closely associated since the 1960s.
Embedding BMW’s commitment to art and music, Gale has investigated the politics of sound and its surrounding, probing themes of invisibility and audibility, recasting the complicated dynamic between performer and spectator. Within Gale’s work, notions are subverted and destabilised.
Curator Attila Fattori Franchini says,
“Project ‘63/22’ expands the collaborative potentialities of the BMW Open Work commission by inviting BMW i7 designers to create five customised electric guitars.
The project re-enacts a productive and cultural exchange between two industries unravelling how these two fields have influenced one another in the past and continue to do so in the present.”
Featuring more than 160 of the world’s leading galleries and led by Eva Langret, the 19th edition of Frieze London takes place from October 12-16, 2022.frieze.com/bmw-open-work
