Last year it launched in Europe. Now it ‘s available in the US for the first time. CULTURE celebrates The BMW Group ‘s 40 years of cultural commitment and its ongoing support of more than 100 projects throughout the world with the launch of the book CULTURE. Created by Grammy-Award winning graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister, the limited-edition book illustrates the BMW Group’s cultural partnerships.

CULTURE, an unconventional and whimsical publication, features a unique integrated, remote-controlled car that enables the book to be driven. “In a publication about the BMW Group’s cultural activities, it made sense to include four hidden wheels and a remote control that allows readers to drive the book around the room,” said designer Stefan Sagmeister. “Culture really moves.”

When the 1,488 hand signed copies are assembled, the covers depict a bird’s eye view of the legendary Munich BMW headquarters built by Karl Schwanzer in 1972. Consequently, each book cover becomes a fragmented, unique specimen.

“The publication by Stefan Sagmeister offers an unconventional and intelligent overview of the most diverse facets of our global cultural activities during the past 40 years,” said Frank-Peter Arndt, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG. “With his novel concept, the graphic designer has landed yet another coup: CULTURE is not a narcissistic exhibition but an original overview and an artist’s book one wishes to browse through, put on the bookshelf or even drive around. I am delighted with this book and I hope every reader feels the same way.”

The book is divided into four parts corresponding with BMW Group’s primary cultural involvement in the areas of contemporary art, classical music and jazz, architecture and design, and culture. The first three chapters are each preceded by quotes from conductor Daniel Barenboim, artist Olafur Eliasson, and architect Zaha Hadid, respectively, all of whom have collaborated with BMW on major cultural projects. The publication also includes more than 50 color reproductions that illustrate the spectrum of the BMW Group’s international cultural involvement.