Driven By Art: BMW Art Cars In Talk With Dr Thomas Girst

by Dara Morgan

Driven By Art: BMW Art Cars In Talk With Dr Thomas Girst

7 May 2025

BMW Art Car Collection in front of BMW Headquarters, Munich. Photo Enes Kucevic © BMW AG

Let’s begin with a confession: we came to Art Dubai for the art, but we stayed for the cars — or more precisely, for one car. It isn’t every day you get to admire a 470-horsepower canvas by Andy Warhol, parked with casual swagger under museum-grade lighting. BMW’s legendary Art Car, the M1 painted by Warhol in just 28 minutes back in 1979, touched down at the Madinat Jumeirah this April as part of the BMW Art Car World Tour — a high-octane, globe-trotting celebration of the series’ 50th anniversary.

Also making a pitstop in Dubai: BMW’s Art Talk, Driven by Art: Are Commissions and Co-creations the Future? Featuring a formidable line-up of international curators and thinkers, the talk was steered by Prof Dr Thomas Girst — Global Head of BMW Group Cultural Engagement, art historian, and man with possibly the best job in the automotive world.

We caught up with Dr Girst to talk about the past, present, and future of the BMW Art Car programme, why cars keep pulling artists in — and yes, a little something about the best tabbouleh in Munich.

BMW Art Car 4 by Andy Warhol. Photo: Stephan Bauer © BMW AG

— Dr Girst, hello! The first question for you from me is: why do you think it is important to bring the world of cars and art together?

— I think the decision is not mine at all, but one made by artists who have been interested in mobility ever since the invention of the automobile. As much as I would love to pride myself and BMW’s contribution to that topic, it has been going on for quite some time before we started the BMW Art Car Series in 1975, which we are now celebrating the 50th anniversary of. I found it interesting personally, as an art historian, to delve into the early discussions about mobility and cars. There is a lithograph by Toulouse-Lautrec from the 1890s where you see a car speeding through a park in Paris. There is the Futurist Manifesto of 1909, hailing the car as a sculpture of modernity — our Niké of Samothrace. Artists weren’t just interested in the design of the car, but also in its speed, its sound, its scent. That multisensory approach, which could also be critical, has continued through the decades. We are happy to be part of that, as a car manufacturer engaged in the arts for over 50 years.

— Artists were the first to be inspired by automobiles — but do you think the automobile industry is inspired by art in some way?

— Many make the case that works of design are works of art, though I am not quite there yet. Those are distinct facets of culture and human achievement. In Pre-Socratic times, there was one word for both technological and artistic achievement — techné. There is a common root. Roland Barthes, in Mythologies, hails the Citroën DS as an anonymous artwork, like a Baroque or Gothic church. So yes, there is a common trajectory — not a trench between art and cars, but a membrane. A cross-fertilization.

BMW Art Car 1 by Alexander Calder. Photo: Jean-Marie Bottequin © BMW AG

— It has been 50 years since the BMW Art Collection started. What does it represent now?

— What I am particularly proud of is how art has changed over 50 years, and I think the Art Car Series honours that change. At the beginning, it was more about wielding brushes and turning a design object into an art object. But with Cao Fei’s Art Car #18 in 2016, she added virtual reality, an app, augmented reality, and video — so to experience it fully, you have to enter the digital realm. Now, with Julie Mehretu, one of the greatest artists of our time, we see the project expand even further. I just came from Lagos and landed in Dubai. In Nigeria, the forst workshop of her AFMAC initiative took place— the African Film and Media Arts Collective. She is involving film, documentary, and artist-driven projects that go well beyond the car itself. Once these workshops across six African cities conclude, Koyo Kouoh, who is also the next curator for the Venice Biennale, will organise a major show. The Art Car will be part of that, alongside the films from these workshops, presented at the Zeitz MOCAA in South Africa in late 2026. So this shows how the project adapts and evolves — paying homage to the creative vision of the artists we work with. That is what keeps it so inspiring.

— Speaking of artists, how do you choose which ones to collaborate with?

— It is very important that we are not the ones choosing the artists. Of course, I get a lot of inquiries, but we believe in trusting experts. We have built a network over decades, based on mutual respect and curiosity. Our role is clear: we don’t interfere with creative freedom. Just like our designers and engineers need freedom to innovate, artists need it, too. For the Art Car Series, we have a jury — one that rotates and aims for global and gender representation. It includes voices like Massimiliano Gioni, Stephanie Rosenthal, Anita Dube, Cecilia Alemani, Hans Ulrich Obrist, and Koyo Kouoh herself. We propose which car could be used, but ultimately, we go with the jury’s decision. That trust in our partners is essential.

BMW Art Car 4 by Andy Warhol. Photo: Jean-Marie Bottequin © BMW AG

— I have to ask your personal opinion: what is your favorite BMW Art Car from all these years? Can you pick one?

— Dara, I am a father of three. If I were asked who my favorite child is, I couldn’t answer. So with the Art Cars, it is the same. But those dearest to me are the ones I had the privilege of working on — Olafur Eliasson, Jeff Koons, Cao Fei, John Baldessari, Julie Mehretu. I have learned so much from them. At the same time, without Calder’s Art Car, there wouldn’t be any of the others. That first one in 1975 was meant to be a one-off — not a series. It came from the passion of then-Motorsports Director Jochen Neerpasch and race driver Hervé Poulain, who brought Calder in. That car, with its primary colours — red, blue, yellow — is the perfect start to a remarkable journey.

BMW Art Car 16 by Olafur Eliasson © Studio Olafur Eliasson and BMW Group; BMW Art Car 18 by Cao Fei © BMW AG and Cao Fei Studio; BMW Art Car 20 by Julie Mehretu. Photo: Tereza Mundilová © BMW AG

— If we are talking about the early times, do you think it is relevant to name someone the new Warhol of today?

— No, I don’t think so. I don’t think it does any artist justice to compare them to another. That is actually what artists dislike most — being told, “your work reminds me of…” Calling someone the new Warhol or da Vinci is more of a marketing strategy than a genuine appreciation. I would never use that terminology.

— Fair enough — kind of a trick question. Could you share your impressions of Art Dubai 2025?

— I don’t need to say it, but Art Dubai is here to stay. I am aware of the “attention competition” across the Middle East, and it is benefiting the arts more than anywhere else. Stephanie Rosenthal said it well — the budget is there, the timing is right. I am teaching at IE Business School and just wrapped up a session with professionals from the Saudi Ministry of Culture. What Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi and others in the region are doing is incredible. Culture is front and center in how they are positioning themselves for the future. Art Dubai, specifically, is a global meeting place. The Financial Times recently called Dubai the new cultural capital, and there is something to that. With hires like Dunja Gottweis coming from Art Basel, tasked with turning Art Dubai into the greatest art fair on the planet — it is a bold mission. The digital art section is in its fourth year; no one else is doing it like this. Paris Photo tried, but not as thoroughly. With the international galleries and despite a stagnating global art market — hovering around $60 billion — Art Dubai is growing. The first signs from this year are encouraging. Collector response, gallery sales, and the staff’s dedication all suggest it is on a strong upward path.

BMW Art Car 19 by John Baldessari. Photo: Chris Tedesco © BMW AG

— I saw you were at the India Art Fair earlier this year. What is next on your cultural calendar?

— Coming up, there is Gallery Weekend in Berlin — we are hosting another BMW Art Talk. Then there is the Stockholm Art Fair, where we are doing a foiling for the shuttle car, created by Gregor Hildebrandt. Art Basel is around the corner. Before that, Dakar is the second stop for the African Film and Media Arts Collective. I have probably forgotten a few things, but that is the month ahead.

— That is a pretty busy calendar.

— Yeah, it is always a bit embarrassing. But yes, it is a privilege.

— So, talking again about comparisons between the art world and the car world — does collecting art differ much from collecting cars?

— That is a good question. I think collecting art differs within itself just as much as collecting cars does. So it is hard to compare the two directly. Ideally, collecting — whether art or cars — is driven not just by the desire to own something, but by genuine passion. Passion for the object, for the artist or designer, for the story behind it. Collecting allows you to connect deeply with someone else’s creative process — something you might not dare to do yourself. But you relate to it. Ideally, collections are shared with others, too. There is this sociological term — resonance — by Hartmut Rosa. You can create resonance not only with other people but also with art or design. Being close to that kind of resonance is powerful. It doesn’t always make you happy — but it makes life more meaningful.

— How do you want audiences to experience the Art Cars in the next 50 years?

— Well, I want them to be seen. I want them to travel the globe even further. I am really happy that we kicked off the Art Car with such a strong moment that we could share with the public at Art Dubai. I think the display of Andy Warhol's amazing car really set a standard — not just for how to present that car, but also for how others can be shown around the world by our colleagues.

What I truly think is that the Art Car series is a little like an Easter egg. Now, we look at the art and recognise the car — but if you think about it, Dara, it is similar to how we might look at horse carriages from 100 years ago. You might look at one and say, "Oh wow, that’s how people used to travel." And then you read 19th-century literature — the romance, the atmosphere associated with those carriages. But it is harder for us to relate to them today.

I believe the same will happen with cars. We don't yet know what individual mobility will look like in the future. Cao Fei envisioned a flying BMW in her work for us- We are already seeing dramatic shifts — from CO2-emitting engines to electric mobility, and soon autonomous driving, perhaps even more we can’t predict. That is why the Art Cars, as objects designed at a very specific moment in time, will one day be perceived quite differently. I think we will take a second look — not just because of the art, but because of the design itself, which will feel historic.

That is why I believe the Art Car series will stand the test of time — because it captures both artistic expression and a moment in industrial design history.

— Thank you. And yes, that brings us to a final question — a bit more fun, I guess. Andy Warhol painted the M1 in just 28 minutes. Dr Girst, what is something meaningful or surprising you can do in 28 minutes?

— Thank you for sending these questions in advance — it gave me a little time to think! What I actually pride myself on — and it pretty much takes 28 minutes — is making a German version of the most amazing tabbouleh you can get in Munich. Of course I buy everything fresh. The chopping and preparation take a while, but the final result is something I am really proud of— even though there is aGerman twist to it when it comes to ingredients!

— So we are still talking about art, I guess?

— Culinary endeavors can certainly be art! No, no (laughs)! Maybe! Maybe I could also write a haiku in 28 minutes. That is about as far as I would go with poetry, though.

by Dara Morgan