"Art marketing" by automakers at home and abroad is on the rise. It is seen as an attempt to emphasize a premium brand image while broadening brand identity beyond being merely a car manufacturer, positioning themselves as companies that redefine customers' everyday lives and culture.

Hyundai Motor announced on the 24th that it will extend its partnership with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) through 2037 and introduce a new exhibition series.

Hyundai, which has collaborated with LACMA since 2015 as part of efforts to expand the art ecosystem, has sponsored eight exhibitions to date.

The new exhibition series to be launched with the extension has been named "Hyundai Project".

The Hyundai Project is a program that will take an in-depth look at the work of artists connected to Los Angeles and the Pacific Rim and present new works, and it is slated to be held biennially starting in 2028.

Large banner works by the featured artists will be installed on the exterior facade of LACMA's contemporary art building (BCAM), where the Hyundai Project will take place.

Hyundai will also continue supporting LACMA's flagship "Art+Technology Lab". Over the past decade, Hyundai has supported 45 artist projects.

Starting this spring, the Art+Technology Lab plans, on a biennial basis, to select and fund artist projects that put the convergence of art and technology into practice, and to institutionalize public programs that open artists' research and experimentation processes to audiences.

Euisun Chung, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, said, "Through our long-standing collaboration with LACMA, Hyundai has supported the fusion of art and technology and broadened the horizons of Korean art," adding, "We will continue multifaceted collaborations that inspire our times by supporting artists' creative endeavors and expanding opportunities for audiences to engage with art."

On the same day, the British luxury sports car brand Lotus appointed the world-renowned pianist Lang Lang as the brand's new global ambassador. Going forward, Lotus plans to run creative campaigns with Lang Lang that fuse artistic inspiration and technical excellence across performance, design, and lifestyle.

Lotus Cars Korea stated, "This partnership was realized based on the shared values of 'precision in engineering' that Lotus pursues and the 'musical perfectionism' demonstrated by Lang Lang."

In addition, the cultural and art sectors and the global automotive industry are increasing their touchpoints in various forms, such as collaborating with renowned painters to create customized limited-edition vehicles.

An industry insider said, "The era of competing solely on price and performance is over," adding, "As the automobile emerges not simply as a means of transportation but as a core space for realizing the lifestyle customers seek, offering diverse brand experiences through culture and the arts is becoming increasingly important."