In a world increasingly shaped by digital precision and commercial polish, I wanted to create something that felt human again—something immediate, imperfect, and alive. Painting an Art Car is my way of bringing the raw energy of painting back into public space, and using it to start conversations we desperately need to have.
As an anonymous artist, my works have often found their way into private collections, sometimes disappearing before they can be seen by a wider audience. That’s part of why this project matters to me. Painting a car—something that moves through cities, towns, and open spaces—means the work stays alive, accessible, constantly crossing paths with new people.
I chose to hand-paint the entire surface of the car with acrylics, embracing the visible brushstrokes, the textures, the flaws. I wanted the surface to feel like it was breathing, resisting the clean, manufactured aesthetic that dominates so much of our world today. This is not digital, this is human made.
When I started thinking about my first Art Car project, I drew inspiration from the BMW Art Car tradition—especially Andy Warhol and Jenny Holzer. I admired Warhol’s immediacy, the way his hand remained present in every stroke, and Holzer’s belief that words can stir thought as powerfully as images. But I didn’t want this to be a static museum piece or a corporate-backed spectacle. I wanted it to be a living artwork—moving through the world, accessible to everyone, provoking dialogue wherever it goes.
Instead of abstract patterns, I painted the car with layered faces, coastal landscapes, shifting skies, and the fragile textures of nature. Within those scenes, I embedded words and fragments of text—not loudly imposed, but woven through the imagery—to invite reflection. My goal was to create a space where people could not only see the beauty of the world we are losing but also feel their own place within it.
Choosing an electric vehicle for my first projects as the canvas was deliberate. It’s not just about aesthetics—it’s about aligning the work with ideas of sustainability and a future that might still be possible if we act with urgency. This car isn’t just a symbol—it’s a moving act of protest, a mobile exhibition, a call for empathy in a time that too often feels indifferent.
This project is not a one-off. It’s a recurring collaboration between myself and the car’s owner, evolving over time to reflect how our world changes, how we change. Every new Art Car reimagines the dialogue between nature, humanity, and the road ahead.
At a time when the art world leans increasingly on digital manipulation and mass production, this hand-painted car stands as an act of defiance. It is a reminder that art still has the power to move us—literally and emotionally. Through every textured brushstroke and whispered word, I hope to remind people that the connection between humanity and nature is fragile, precious, and urgently worth fighting for.
— Jay Jackal