‘Real luxury is engaging with humanity,’ says Thomas Girst

Thomas Girst has spent more than two decades shaping BMW’s cultural identity — though he would not frame it as marketing. As the BMW Group’s Global Head of Cultural Engagement since 2003, the Munich-based cultural strategist has built partnerships with opera houses, jazz festivals, and contemporary art institutions across the world. Last year, the BMW Art Car programme turned 50. What began in 1975, when Alexander Calder painted a racing BMW 3.0 CSL for his good friend driver Hervé Poulain, has grown into one of the most influential cultural initiatives in the luxury industry — a roster that now includes artists like Andy Warhol, Jenny Holzer, Jeff Koons, Cao Fei, and most recently in 2024 with Julie Mehretu. Half a century on, the question of whether arts and culture is needed in luxury is no longer ambiguous. Along with instilling this ethos in his work at BMW, Girst is also author of titles such as The Duchamp Dictionary, Art, Literature, and the Japanese American Internment, and 100 Secrets of the Art World. Girst spoke with Jing Daily following Art Basel Hong Kong to discuss the role of culture in luxury brand strategy. Jing Daily: BMW has invested in cultural partnerships for more than 50 years. How did that begin, and how has it evolved? Thomas Girst: What’s interesting is that it didn’t start as a way to sell cars. It began as an internal initiative for employees — to enrich their lives beyond work, offering cultural experiences like theater and museums. This was part of a broader effort to create more inspired and motivated employees. Over time, it evolved into long-term partnerships, including one of Germany’s oldest public-private cultural collaborations in Munich. Today, it also plays a role in brand building and customer engagement — but the foundation is still corporate citizenship and giving back to society. JD: How does BMW ensure its involvement in the arts creates real meaning rather than feeling superficial? TG: That’s a complex question, but I think it comes down to how you define meaningful art. There are a few ideas I like. One is that art should have a sense of urgency — something necessary to express. There’s a famous saying I love that art can act as both a mirror reflecting reality, and a lamp, as though it is illuminating what we don’t usually see. Companies aren’t required to engage in the arts — it’s a choice. So if you do it, you should work with artists and projects that genuinely embody creativity and depth. JD: How do you measure the success of something like a BMW Art Car today? TG: Success is multifaceted. Traditionally, validation came through galleries, museums, critics, and collectors. But today, artists and brands can tell their own stories directly through digital platforms to people. Social media plays a major role too, of course. For example, we recently shared photographs of BMW Art Cars by René Staud, and they were picked up widely across platforms and media outlets. So success isn’t about critical approval for us — it’s also about storytelling, reach, engagement, and cultural relevance. At the same time, we still value working with institutions, galleries, and the broader art ecosystem. JD: How do you measure the real impact of cultural engagement — like how many future BMW buyers come from attending a concert? TG: It’s very difficult to measure directly. The magic is in the mix. What surprises me is that no one asks of an advertising campaign exactly how many cars it sells — but when it comes to cultural engagement, we’re always expected to have a precise answer. We see ourselves as leaders in this field, especially in terms of visibility, reputation, and image for BMW and its brands. JD: What ‘secret’ from the art world is most relevant for a global luxury brand like BMW? TG: If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret anymore. But I would say this: defining luxury purely through branding is shallow. Luxury is really about time — the time you spend in a meaningful conversation, the time you spend with a work of art, or the time you spend immersed in music. True luxury is being able to engage with what humans are capable of. JD: How does art help create meaningful connections in today’s world? TG: People are searching for resonance — with other people, with art, with something meaningful. Today, there’s a lot of self-positioning through social media — a kind of self-referential, solipsistic simulacrum, a ‘mirroring’ within an echo chamber. Through art, we try to create genuine platforms for connection — spaces where people can experience something real, beyond constant distraction. If we can help create those moments, that’s incredibly valuable. JD: Do you think the solitary artist can still exist in today’s highly social, collaborative art world? TG: Yes, but we need to understand what “solitary” really means. It doesn’t mean being isolated from the world; it means taking the time to go deep. The artist’s role is to go further inward than most people are willing to. Marcel Proust did exactly that within the 3,200 pages of his In Search of Lost Time. Artists show us something more profound than we might otherwise confront. We all know our fears and insecurities, but we often avoid them. The solitary moments — when artists are alone in their studios, at the fraying fringes of their self — are where real stories emerge. That’s where meaningful art is created. At the same time, collaboration is incredibly important. Collaborations between artists, brands, and institutions can amplify impact. And yes, there’s a business aspect to that — there’s beauty in business, too. As Andy Warhol said, “Good business is the best art.” But beyond all that, something beyond algorithms. JD: Does BMW have a specific cultural strategy for China? TG: Any global company needs to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach. Cultural dialogue starts with respecting and understanding local cultures — not just exporting your own identity. For example, in China we created “The BMW China Culture Journey,” where we explored regional traditions — like ceramics or cuisine — outside the major cities where we do most of our business. We’ve also partnered with major platforms like Art Basel Hong Kong and West Bund Art & Design in Shanghai, and worked with artists like Cao Fei. China has an incredibly rich cultural history, and engaging with that is essential. JD: Are there specific BMW Art Cars or projects that resonated particularly well in China? TG: Cao Fei’s project stands out. She was the first artist to really integrate digital elements like virtual and augmented reality into the BMW Art Car concept. We also introduced features where art could exist inside the car itself, which Chinese audiences really appreciated. There’s a strong openness to innovation and playfulness in that market. JD: Is cultural engagement more or less important for automotive brands in China compared to Europe? TG: I would say it’s even more important now. Ten or 15 years ago, owning a European luxury car was already a strong status symbol. But today, Chinese customers are much more sophisticated. They’re looking for something beyond a driving experience more based on the connectivity to their own mobile devices. Companies are now judged not only by what they sell, but by what they contribute culturally and socially. That’s why engagement in arts and culture is becoming increasingly important in China.

‘Real luxury is engaging with humanity,’ says Thomas Girst

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‘Real luxury is engaging with humanity,’ says Thomas Girst

How Bottega Veneta weaved China’s forever it bag