Calder and the CSL

Cars

Now I know we might be accused of becoming a little obsessed with the rakish lines of the BMW CSL of late, and that we also bang on a little about the relationship between art and the car.

But indulge us on a little bit of Friday morning admiration.

Imagine being able to make a living from a) driving cars quickly, and b) from painting colourful creations, making mobiles and innovative scultpures in all the colours of the pallete. That’s one thing that seem to us a healthy aspiration.

When you combine these two things, then something special just may happen.

When French gallerist and racing driver Hervé Poulain commissioned American born avant garde artist Calder to tag up his CSL in 1975, it was a stroke of genius in itself.

Calder’s art was all about movement and colour in space – the man was after all in credited with the invention of the now kid-bedroom-standard ‘mobile’.

Three strokes of genius. BMW’s Poulain’s and Calder himself.

That’s what we call the art of the motor.

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4 Responses to “Calder and the CSL”

  1. Beautiful car. Perhaps my favorite of all the art cars. The design isn't too busy, and generally compliments the shape of the car, which serves a functional purpose. Solid.

  2. nevilleharrison

    I was lucky enough to work at a BMW Dealship at this time. Fell inlove with this car right away. Then came along the 635 CSI not a patch on it.
    All though I did own a 635 for a few years in the nineties, still loved the 30 CSL.

  3. Pete Mckissock

    I had a mate with a CS in the seventies, and always lusted after the CSL. Even close to forty years on the design of the car looks fresh, dynamic, stylish and contemporary. Calder's artwork looks blended perfectly into the steel.

  4. robert weir

    these are great cars my dad had one he restored it was a brilliant car