A.A.MURAKAMI AND BMW AT ART BASEL 2026
‘Existence itself becomes the material,’ A.A.Murakami tells designboom during the premiere of SYMBIOSIS, their BMW-commissioned installation during Art Basel 2026. Exploring the boundary between the artificial and the natural, the immersive project centers on a sculptural monolith where engineered systems give rise to bubbles, light and mist that evolve beyond control.
‘Our installations typically combine custom technology with uncontrollable natural phenomena,’ explains Azusa Murakami. ‘We engineer precise systems that ultimately let nature take over. Once a bubble is formed, forces like gravity and airflow dictate its path. It is fundamentally about surrendering control to physical forces.’
This year’s collaboration continues BMW’s tradition of partnering with acclaimed artists, following Es Devlin in 2024 and Alvaro Barrington in 2025. ‘BMW invited us to propose a concept for Art Basel exploring the theme of symbiosis, which resonated deeply with us, as our work frequently explores how technology and natural forces synthesize into a unique experience,’ Alexander Groves notes.
A.A.Murakami presents SYMBIOSIS at Art Basel in Basel 2026. images © Gary Yeh
SYMBIOSIS EXPLORES EXISTENCE AS MATERIAL
On view until June 21st, 2026 at Art Basel’s Hall 1, the multisensory installation translates the BMW Symbiotic Drive technology of the Neue Klasse into an ephemeral, physical experience. A.A.Murakami’s work consistently interrogates the point where human control ends and nature takes over.
In SYMBIOSIS, the London and Tokyo-based artist duo crafts a continuous dialogue between engineered systems and natural evolution, where sculptural forms coexist with ephemeral phenomena.
‘We view these bubbles as almost alive,’ explains Groves. ‘While intuitively obvious to recognize, life is scientifically difficult to define. However, early life is thought to have formed within fatty ocean bubbles before evolving into complex cells. To us, bubbles represent memento mori: the beauty and transience of life.’
In their ‘ephemeral tech’ artworks, whether composed of fog rings, bubbles, or plasma, existence itself becomes the material. ‘Much like the Light and Space movement used light as their primary medium, we use existence. The work appears out of thin air and disappears back into it.’
the immersive installation translates BMW’s Symbiotic Drive technology into an ephemeral artwork
AN INSTALLATION WHERE PRECISE ENGINEERING AND NATURE COEXIST
Exploring the boundary between the artificial and the natural, SYMBIOSIS utilizes custom machines to produce light, mist, and mist-filled bubbles that evolve entirely shaped by natural forces.
‘In this piece, mist-filled bubbles grow out of the sculpture and slide down its surface, driven by the technology behind them. We are fascinated by this transition: taking information from the digital world and turning it into something ephemeral, subject to natural laws like gravity and intermolecular forces.’
The work centers around the new BMW M760e xDrive, a vehicle whose monolithic design distills every element to its essential form. Together, the car and the installation reveal a balance between complex engineered technology and an emotive outcome.
As a nod to BMW’s reputation for precision engineering, A.A.Murakami decided to also showcase the technology behind the installation, highlighting their own engineering and adding a new dimension to the work.
bubbles, light, and mist move through the space as engineering meets nature
the bubbles emerge from robotic totems before drifting across Messeplatz
SYMBIOSIS surrounds the new BMW M760e xDrive with shifting atmospheric effects
the installation reflects the Neue Klasse’s focus on intuitive interaction between driver and vehicle