A BMW M1 painted by Andy Warhol became the target of climate activists on November 17. The delegation from the Ultima Generazione organization entered the Fabbrica del Vapore museum in Milan, Italy where the car is on display. They started throwing several bags of flour into the car before security intervened.
The special BMW looked like it had a bit of snow dust on it, according to Reuters. Two protesters are seen in the video being dragged away from the screen. Report from Art News stated the protesters initially planned to attach themselves to windows, but were unsuccessful. The report also showed four protesters sitting on the ground next to the car. It’s not known if the flour caused any damage to the 13-pound M1 special paint job.
The car was painted by Warhol in 1979 and raced at Le Mans that year. BMW has commissioned many art cars over the years, but this M1 is arguably most famous for its association with famous pop artists. Warhol is known for its bright colors and sweeping brushstrokes, and this particular M1 is definitely a presence on that front. In its 2019 car feature, BMW quotes Warhol as saying that he “tried to show speed as a visual image. When the car is really going fast, all the lines and colors are rendered blurry.”
Ultima Genezione, which translates to last generation, recently held a protest targeting several works of art. The Van Gogh painting in Rome and the Klimt painting in Vienna are stained with liquid, even though both are protected by glass. The group also blocked traffic at several locations, including highways and rallies. The Ultima Generazione website states that it is “undertaking an act of non-violent civil disobedience to demand urgent and real action against climate collapse.”
