Museums and exhibitions

Düsseldorf Art, Live close Feel free Beuys & the city Between Rhine, Kunstakademie and Hofgarten

An astonishing wealth of art is on display in Düsseldorf in a relatively small area. Numerous museums and galleries – all within walking distance of the Rhine and Hofgarten – provide for extraordinary art experiences all year round. Apart from the works of both young and established con- temporary artists, there are also modernist works to discover. In summer, the inner courtyard of Ehrenhof is a sought-after spot for many museum visitors.

There is no other city of this size which is home to so many important international artists, where there are so many galleries, and where art is so much a part of everyday life. An art city by tradition: Düsseldorf’s Kunstakademie is the heart The fact that art can be found on every The path leads from and soul of the city. Illustrious artists, street corner in Düsseldorf is also down the “Düsseldorf School of Painting” the likes of Joseph Beuys, Sigmar Polke, to Joseph Beuys who came to fame of the 19th century Jörg Immendorff, Gerhard Richter, with felt and fat. Beuys, who was a to Paul Klee, the Andreas Gursky or Katharina Fritsch, Kunstakademie professor from 1961 to “” artists Heinz have always studied and taught here, 1972, provoked with his works and Mack, and and today Düsseldorf’s world-class ideas. The law suit about the “fat corner” Günther Uecker, and the great photograph­ standing as an art city still rests on the which a janitor had mopped away is ers of the Becher Kunstakademie. The academy opens its famous. He left the city a mantra that School right up to the doors to the public twice a year when continues to shape it today: “Everybody present day. students show their new work. is an artist.”

beuys 2021. 100 years of joseph beuys

Joseph Beuys was one of the 20th century’s most import- ant artists. The centenary of his birth in 2021 offers an op- portunity for around 20 museums and cultural institutions in North Rhine-Westphalia to recognise, rediscover and critically examine the artist, his complex work and his international standing.

The exhibition “Joseph Beuys – Everybody is an Artist” at K20 in Düsseldorf offers an insight into the artist’s cosmopolitan attitude as manifested in his actions. Works will be on display that show Beuys as a revolutionary or shaman, or occasionally as an alchemist, fool, researcher, gardener, politician, redeemer, artist, teacher or animal.

Joseph Beuys, Scheveningen, 1976, Photo: Caroline Tisdall The Rhenish photo miracle

Those who speak today about German seen worldwide as a trademark that New collection: photography are thinking first and fore- stands for high artistic quality and for a “This purchase is more than a coup. It most about pictures by representatives fundamental upheaval in photographic is an avowal,” wrote of the Düsseldorf School of Photography, practices. The school of photography the Frankfurter Allge- also known as the Becher School. It is founded in the 1970s by Bernd and Hilla meine Zeitung when Becher generated important momen- the City of Düsseldorf tum for the international art scene. The purchased the import­ ant Kicken Collection Bechers’ typical style became a global for the Kunstpalast. It Ludwig Windstosser, Düsseldorf (pedestrian bridge), 1950s, export hit for Düsseldorf. contains pictures by famous photograph­ Affectionately called the “Struffskys” ers such as August

Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf, © Ludwig Windstosser by New York’s Village Voice, Thomas Sander, Bernd and Hilla Becher, Robert Struth, Thomas Ruff and Andreas Gursky Capa, Horst P. Horst achieved world fame with their large- and Helmut Newton. scale, unconventional photographic works. Candida Höfer and Axel Hütte also launched international careers. In The Rhine as inspiration: this way photography made the leap Andreas Gursky’s from simple document to work of art photograph “Rhine II”, that nowadays contests museum space taken in Düsseldorf- with the more traditional oil painting. Oberkassel, was sold in New York in 2011 for 3.1 million euros.

The world of gallery owners and collectors

In the area of visual arts Düsseldorf and graduates of Düssel- offers a broad alternative scene, nu- dorf’s Kunstakademie. merous foundations and well over 100 galleries. Thanks to the huge commit- At the DC Open in Sep­ ment of many patrons, art institutions tember, from Friday to and collections have been created Sunday galleries in Düssel- such as the Julia Stoschek Collection dorf and Cologne will be in Oberkassel, the Philara Collection in showing established and Flingern or KAI 10 at the MedienHafen. upcoming artists. Art Düsseldorf takes place The galleries here see themselves as every year at Areal Böhler forums for the vibrant local art scene. in Ober­kassel – young art Focal points here are the presentation comes together with old and communication of young artists industrial architecture.

The Sound of Düsseldorf

Over the last 50 years Düsseldorf has provided at Kunsthalle. The first concerts by Kraftwerk – inspiration to many innovative artists – not only one of pop history’s most influential bands – painters, photographers and sculptors, but also were held at Creamcheese, where Joseph musicians. The Düsseldorf band NEU! – which Beuys, Anatol Herzfeld and Günther Uecker influenced David Bowie, Blur, Placebo, Radio- numbered among the regulars. head, Sonic Youth and Stereolab – was formed Rhineland Independent So much art An initiative of private collections and foundations for modern and contemporary A art in the Rhineland. in the city! B C In Düsseldorf, many art spaces are very close together. The number of B Julia Stoschek Collection I KAI 10 | Arthena Foundation key art museums is exceptional and they are all within walking distance Schanzenstraße 54 | 40549 Düsseldorf Kaistraße 10 | 40221 Düsseldorf of each other. With the historical ensemble of buildings around the www.jsc.art www.kaistrasse10.de Ehrenhof, the Altstadt (Old Town) and the Carlstadt there are three On the other side of the Rhine, Julia Stoschek KAI 10, founded by Monika Schnetkamp, compact areas full of art, connected by the Kunstakademie. has enriched Düsseldorf by giving it a private shows group exhibitions of international museum. The Julia Stoschek Collection present-day art. Not the collection but rather presents contemporary art which focuses on the diversity of current art creation is central time-based media. Stoschek’s preference is to the projects. The 600-square-metre exhibi- for video work, installations and photography: tion hall is housed in a former warehouse in “My generation’s art,” as the collector puts it. the MedienHafen. J ZERO foundation Hüttenstraße 104 40215 Düsseldorf K Langen Foundation F Philara Collection www.zerofoundation.de Raketenstation Hombroich 1 | 41472 Neuss Birkenstraße 47 a | 40233 Düsseldorf www.langenfoundation.de www.philara.de The ZERO movement, which was founded in Düsseldorf in The Langen Foundation has its roots in the The collector Gil Bronner created spectacular 1958, revolutionised post-war collection of founder Marianne Langen and art spaces which won several architectural art. , Otto Piene her husband, Viktor. The gallery of the Jap- awards in Düsseldorf in a former glass factory and Günther Uecker created anese architect Tadao Ando is itself a work in the traditional workers’ quarter Flingern. art from light and movement, of art. The Langen Foundation’s programme The collection has close ties with the from air and fire. The ZERO is devoted to dialogue between Eastern and Kunstakademie and local artists which foundation is the place where Western culture, and particularly to engaging Bronner however juxtaposes with inter­ international art avant-garde with contemporary art. nationally renowned artists. is researched and presented today. Only open for special G exhibitions and events.

K Just a stone’s throw away

Just outside the city, the Museum Insel Hom- grounds. The neighbouring Raketenstation broich, surrounded by greenery, is a world in Hombroich, formerly a NATO missile base, is itself. This museum in Neuss, only half an hour now a living and working space for artists and H away from Düsseldorf, consists of over a dozen scientists. buildings scattered around sprawling landscaped­ I Getting there: by car (30 minutes from Düsseldorf city centre) Further information: www.inselhombroich.de

K Kunstakademie D Kunstsammlung NRW H Kunstsammlung NRW Düsseldorf K20 Grabbeplatz K21 Ständehaus Eiskellerstraße 1 | 40213 Düsseldorf Grabbeplatz 5 | 40213 Düsseldorf Ständehausstraße 1 | 40217 Düsseldorf www.kunstakademie-duesseldorf.de www.kunstsammlung.de www.kunstsammlung.de

Repeated upheaval, constantly reaching K20 has an international reputation as a The Renaissance Revival palazzo for 21st cen­ new shores, special stories again and museum of modernist art with masterpieces by tury art was recently reopened as a museum again: in 1978 the nail artist Günther artists from Henri Matisse to Gerhard Richter for international contemporary art. Newer Uecker and the water artist Klaus Rinke and from to Joseph Beuys. works include photography by Andreas Gursky, were appointed as professors and rode There are also selected works of non-European Candida Höfer and Thomas Ruff, as well as on camels through the hallways of the origin. The collection extends into the second works by Rosemarie Trockel, Thomas Schütte Eiskellerberg building. Today almost half of the 20th century and includes highlights and Marina Abramovic. Below the glass dome, everything that happens in Düsseldorf’s of US pop art. The Sarah Morris Wall beside the Tomás Saraceno’s walkable net installation museums and ateliers is somehow con- museum is an Instagram hotspot. floats in mid-air. nected with this building. For friends of important collections of For friends of the unusual, the bizarre and modern art. the noisy.

A Kunstpalast C NRW-Forum Düsseldorf Ehrenhof 4–5 | 40479 Düsseldorf Ehrenhof 2 | 40479 Düsseldorf www.kunstpalast.de www.nrw-forum.de D Kunstpalast is Düsseldorf’s treasure chamber – The NRW-Forum has a special feel for ground- E from Beuys to Richter and Rubens. Apart from breaking themes. Topical focal points include F the paintings and graphic art, there is also a robotics and digital art. The creative commu- design collection and one of the world’s nity appreciates it as an international space for biggest glass collections. An exhibition area experiments and creative networking. At the of over 4,000 square metres offers plenty of same time, the NRW-Forum is not only an ex­ space for the art – one would think. However, hibition centre but also a production location – Art:walk when some extravagant sports cars were inclusive of DJ evenings and concerts. Soda exhibited once, four tonnes of concrete had to Books, a special shop for beautiful magazines, With the Art:walk, you can enjoy a special museum be cut away first. is also at home at the NRW-Forum. tour in the heart of the city. It is not only the art For lovers of the fine line between art For friends of photography, pop and waiting to be discovered that is extraordinary. The and design. digital culture. route takes in a number of listed parks as well as some of the most beautiful spots in Düsseldorf – among them the Hofgarten, the Königsallee and the Kö-Bogen, the Ständehauspark and the Rhine embankment promenade. For 25 euros, the Art:walk48 ticket offers E Kunsthalle Düsseldorf G KIT – Kunst im Tunnel unlimited access to the collections and exhibitions at Grabbeplatz 4 | 40213 Düsseldorf Mannesmannufer 1 b | 40213 Düsseldorf the six major museums along the route. www.kunsthalle-duesseldorf.de www.kunst-im-tunnel.de www.visitduesseldorf.de/artwalk48 Kunsthalle and Kunstverein have resided in the KIT is a 140-metre-long underground exhibition concrete building on Grabbeplatz since the space directly beneath the Rhine embankment end of the 1960s. Joseph Beuys would have promenade. Young graduates of the Kunst­ loved to have the building blown up, but today akademie show their contemporary art there in the Brutalist architecture is seen as visionary. the areas of sculpture, painting, photography, The Kunsthalle is a place for avant-garde exhi- video and installation art at temporary exhibi- bitions which is why it has always attracted an tions. A special tip for strollers is the monolithic international audience. The supposed museum KIT Café that looms on the Rhine embankment. café is an electro club – Salon des Amateurs In summer, one has the best view of the Rhine and its DJs are world famous. Art in public outside in front of the museum. places: Beuys’s legendary oven pipe extends For friends of young and diverse from the inside to the outside. contemporary art. J For friends of experiments and international events. Art:walk48 Discover the city and its art

1 ticket 6 museums 48 hours Düsseldorf Live close Feel free Curated by #VisitDuesseldorf: New Urban Walks

Urban Art Walk – Street Art and Graffiti in Düsseldorf Some of Europe’s best urban artists have immortalised themselves on Düsseldorf’s walls. They combine classic art genres with pop, punk, graffiti or street art, and reflect today’s thinking. Klaus Rosskothen, local gallery owner and scene insider invites you to discover these unknown places.

From the Modern to the Future – Icons of Architecture Star architects are celebrated today like rock stars. Our guided tour shows how closely the past and future of Düsseldorf’s urban landscape are linked by their architecture. One of the latest examples is Daniel Libeskind’s Kö-Bogen which was built not far from Dreischeibenhaus and Schauspielhaus.

Wehrhahn Line – Art Meets Architecture on the Underground “Art and Magic in a German Metro” is how the New York Times describes our spectacular underground line in the heart of the city. The design concept evolved out of an unusual collaboration between artists and engineers. Each of the six stations has a distinctive character and contains no commercial advertising.

Can also be booked individually as group tours. More information and bookings: i www.visitduesseldorf.de/citytours

Published by: Benrather Straße 9 Cover: Peter Vincent Causemann; Photo: 40213 Düsseldorf Markus Luigs for Düsseldorf Tourismus Illustrations: KittoKatsu, kittokatsu.de T +49 211 17 202-0 All information is subject to change without [email protected] notice and is not intended to be exhaustive. www.visitduesseldorf.de 02/2019-EN 5.000