Six world-class galleries  

Düsseldorf is known to be a stronghold of art. And this international reputation is not limited to the numerous museums and the famous art academy. The lively gallery scene also attracts collectors and art lovers from all over Europe to the Rhine. But where to start with all this art power? We have filtered out six galleries for you, all of which are world-class.   

Beck & Eggeling 

Paul Klee, August Macke, Ludwig Kirchner, Max Pechstein - the names speak volumes. The greats of German Expressionism can be found in an elegant palace in the Carlstadt district, including the neighboring hall, and in the best of company. Ute Eggeling and Michael Beck have an impressive portfolio of artists. For example, the gallery also has the works of Heinz Mack from his Zero period exclusively in its program, as well as international contemporary positions by Manolo Valdés, the now deceased Magdalena Abakanowicz and works by German photographers Joachim Brohm and Thomas Wrede. The gallery owners, both of whom studied art history, continuously present exciting exhibitions in their two extraordinary spaces. "We love working across time and disciplines, juxtaposing different positions," says Ute Eggeling about her philosophy. For example, antique art sometimes meets contemporary art or, on other occasions, the painter Gotthard Graubner meets the ceramics of Fausto Melotti. Such high-caliber exhibitions are documented in publications by the in-house publishing house. Over the past 25 years, Beck & Eggeling has published more than one hundred books that go far beyond the requirements of a sales catalog and are relevant to art history.  

Konrad Fischer 

When Dorothee and Konrad Fischer presented Carl Andre in their first exhibition in a small room in Düsseldorf's Neubrückstraße in October 1967, minimal art and conceptual art were virtually unknown in Europe. Subsequently, avant-gardists such as Richard Long, Bruce Nauman, Sol LeWitt, On Kawara, Lawrence Weiner, Hanne Darboven and Robert Ryman made their first European appearances with the Fischers, whose pioneering spirit had a decisive influence on the reception of art in Germany. Something else was different: the Fischers invited the artists themselves to Düsseldorf for projects instead of simply presenting their work. This hitherto rather unusual approach led to an international network of artists and paved the way for site-specific sculptures, paintings and installations. Daniel Buren presented his spatial interventions at Konrad, Gilbert & George their "Singing Sculpture" and Wolfgang Laib his works made of beeswax and pollen. The progressive approach is and remains the business model and philosophy of life. The program has been constantly expanded since the gallery was founded. What remains is the commitment. The generation of artists such as Guy Ben-Ner, Peter Buggenhout, Aleana Egan, Jim Lambie, Manfred Pernice, Magnus Plessen, Wolfgang Plöger, Gregor Schneider and Paloma Varga Weisz is also closely associated with the gallery.   

Sies & Höke 

Nina Höke and Alexander Sies have a proven knack for contemporary art. Since 1999, the two have been moving casually through all media and genres and have already launched many an artist's career during this time. For example, the Canadian draughtsman Marcel Dzama, the Belgian conceptual artist Kris Martin and the Costa Rican painter Federico Herrero, who all had their first exhibitions at the gallery in the early 2000s. The gallery thinks and acts internationally, which is reflected in the exhibitions, fairs, publications and, last but not least, in the range of artists who choose Sies + Höke in the long term. For art fans, there is no way around the listed premises of the former post office building in Carlstadt, which have grown from 200 square meters to 1000 square meters. Sies + Höke are showing several exhibitions in parallel on three floors of the nested building. Half an afternoon passes quickly. You should definitely make a note of the Gerhard Richter show that Alexander Sies and Nina Höke have planned for February 2022. The art-dealing couple will then show the largest exhibition of drawings by the famous painter to date across the entire gallery space. The opening is on February 4, 2022. Five days later, on February 9, 2022, Richter celebrates his 90th birthday.     

Hans Mayer 

Hans Mayer is a man of the first hour. He was the first to show Andy Warhol in Düsseldorf in 1969. He subsequently brought a whole host of American artists such as Frank Stella, Ellsworth Kelly, Bill Beckley, Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein and Tom Wesselmann to the city. The list of illustrious names goes on and on. Hans Mayer himself is a living legend in the Rhineland and his gallery in the Schmela-Haus, in the direct vicinity of the K20 art collection, the Kunsthalle and the Kunstverein am Grabbeplatz, is a place of pilgrimage for art collectors. And it is not only here that Hans Mayer has established a brand: The gallery also specializes in large outdoor sculptures and has been known for its cross-disciplinary activities since its beginnings. Also in the building and definitely worth a visit: the gallery of Hans Mayer's son, Max Mayer, who has dedicated himself to young art.   

Setareh 

Most of Düsseldorf's large, established galleries were founded in the 1990s, a time when the art market was booming. Setareh on Königsallee is an exception here. The gallery opened its doors in 2013 and has focused on promoting contemporary art ever since. This includes the concept of juxtaposing up-and-coming artists with established positions. The idea behind this change of perspective is to bring together the most diverse eras. Another trademark: Setareh offers virtual viewing rooms, studio visits or interviews with artists and is also in active online exchange with collectors. So here you have your finger on the pulse of the times. 

Schönewald 

The who's who of the international art world comes to the Flingern district. Since 1992, Paul Schönewald has specialized in renowned German and American post-war and contemporary artists such as Josef Albers, Carl Andre, Georg Baselitz, Bernd and Hilla Becher, John Chamberlain, Gotthard Graubner, Donald Judd, Yayoi Kusama, Agnes Martin, Blinky Palermo, Sigmar Polke, Gerhard Richter, Thomas Schütte, Rosemarie Trockel and Cy Twombly. Since 2006, the gallery owner has resided in a former hydraulics factory, which he had converted by Selldorf Architects from New York. The spectacular premises in the backyard of Lindenstraße alone are worth a visit. But the talents that Paul Schönewald promotes also provide surprises. The art dealer has also been looking after and developing important collections in Germany and abroad for many years.  

Cover picture:
Anniversary Exhibition view: 50 years of the Konrad Fischer Gallery, 2017
Carl Andre
Tony Cragg
Lawrence Weiner
© Achim Kukulies