Joshua Davis: Z4byJD. Left: The prints (details). Right: The car, the artist.

Joshua Davis is at it again. This time he was commissioned by BMW to do a series of prints based on their new Z4 Coupe, in what could be considered a followup to the BMW Art Cars. The result is Z4byJD, consisting of a limited series of unique generative prints and a rockstar-style web site documenting the process.

The Z4byJD site, while highly polished and well executed, verges on pure designer camp. The site’s intro sequence begins with the payoff “The most radical artist… takes on the most thrilling BMW”, set to a rock/hip hop soundtrack. Davis is shown posing thoughtfully kneeling by the car in a clean showroom, inspecting every line of the car while the camera makes much of his famous tattoos.

Once past this curious opening, visitors can enjoy some generative graphics courtesy of Davis, and a “making of” video that threatens to become even worse than the intro, but miraculously saves itself at the last minute. After a frenzied start, it calms down and has Davis speaking with the soft-spoken Chief Designer Adrian van Hooydonk. The rock guitars give way to pleasant ambient music and talk about lines, light and surfaces. Joshua Davis explains his generative work processes, and the BMW heads make a comeback explaining their support for experimental art.

So despite Davis’ coarse initial quip about the car’s “sexy ass”, the video suddenly becomes plausible high-class BMW branding. This is a luxury car they’re selling, after all.

The prints (shown in a Gallery section with curiously low resolution images) do not literally reference the Z4 Coupe, even if segments of the car are buried in the composition. The images follow the vein of the organic-feeling generative systems Davis show on Once-upon-a-forest, a look that he does very well. The work has an effortless organic quality to it, with great colors and composition. A single print (all unique) can be bought online for EUR 275, not a bad price for a 61 x 112 cm print (unmounted). Obviously, the selling of the prints is not the money-making part of the deal.

It’s interesting to see that BMW (or at least their ad company) think that promoting a new media designer slash electronic artist in this way will help them sell cars. Using artists to endorse luxury products is of course common-place, and the BMW Art Cars do set the precedence, but still this seems an odd pairing. Then again, maybe Joshua Davis really is the Eminem of new media.

Just for balance, here’s some alternative takes on the same project: MPH Magazine, Autoblog, Dexigner, Leftlane News. Make up your own mind, don’t listen to us.