For centuries, Düsseldorf has provided fertile ground for art and creativity. But how did the city become such a bastion of the arts? What lies at the heart of its cultural significance? As well as exploring the history of the Düsseldorf Academy of Arts and its associations with artists such as Joseph Beuys and Gerhard Richter, this guided tour also focuses on the vibrant local arts scene and the institutions that have grown up around it.
“Everyone is an artist.” Joseph Beuys was a professor at the Academy of Arts, and his notion that art should be democratic and accessible to all expanded the very concept of art. His philosophy was the subject of lively discussion in Düsseldorf. The city has a tradition of embedding art in people’s everyday lives. When Elector Jan Wellem extended Düsseldorf Castle back in the 17th century, he and his wife Anna Luisa Maria de’ Medici built its famous picture gallery, one of the first art museums in Europe that was open to the public.
Spanning the evolution of Düsseldorf from baroque regal seat to 21st century centre of the arts, our tour guides will show you classical and modern art venues, landmarks and cultural buildings from the Altstadt (Old Town) to the Rhine and the Kö-Bogen. Discover the city’s impressive wealth of museums and learn more about the artists who have shaped it – from Paul Klee and Andreas Gursky to Clara and Robert Schumann, and from Kraftwerk and Heinrich Heine to Wim Wenders.
What is the legacy of the Düsseldorf School of Painting, the ZERO group or the Düsseldorf School of Photography under Bernd and Hilla Becher? Where can you find Joseph Beuys’ Black Hole and Uecker’s Nail?
Book your guided tour now to explore our art!
Duration: 120 mins.
