ART & CULTURE

Düsseldorf has been one of the mainsprings of European art in the past decades. And the Kunstakademie acts as its tireless engine, continuously attracting internationally renown professors and producing graduates who quickly become stars of the art scene in their own right. It’s no wonder the city not only boasts world-class museums but also quite a few galleries and not-to-be-missed art events.

R.F. ART: Urban Mash-Up

Die Stadt als Reizüberflutungsgebiet lässt nicht immer Raum und Zeit, um tiefergehende Gedanken zu fassen. Meist hasten wir von Ampel zu Ampel, schauen nur nach links und rechts, um die Straße zu überqueren. Auch wenn Düsseldorf keine richtige Großstadt ist, kann es darin schon manchmal recht unübersichtlich werden. Manchmal staut sich der Verkehr und man ist zum Anhalten gezwungen, manchmal fährt man aber auch freiwillig einen Gang runter und steigt aufs Rad oder geht zu Fuß. Und eventuell läuft man dabei der Street-Art von Roberto über den Weg. Um die Plakate des unter dem Namen „R.F. Art” aktiven Künstlers überhaupt zu sehen, muss man sich dem Stadtgebiet etwas aufmerksamer als sonst widmen und vor allem mehr als nur einen kurzen Blick übrig haben. Zwar springen die Plakate von Roberto – einmal entdeckt – mit poppigen Farben ins Auge, so braucht es aber ein bisschen Weile und Verstand, um sie zu erfassen.

Lila und Lisa von Kunst100

Hinter der online Galerie Kunst100 verbirgt sich 100% Kunst und doch haben Lila und Lisa eine andere Herangehensweise als der Großteil der Galerist*innen und Kunstvermittler*innen. Es geht ihnen nicht um große Namen und Kunst als Wertanlage, sondern darum junge Künstler*innen zu fördern und deren Werke erschwinglich zu machen – und damit eine neue Generation von Kunstliebhaber*innen zu begeistern. Die Idee dazu entwickelte sich vom eigenen Wohnzimmer als Ausstellungsort über eine kleine Galerie in Berlin, bis hin zu einer über 300 Kunstwerke umfassenden, digitalen Plattform.

Lauriston Avery

There are no wunderkinds in the art world, despite everything what it may look like, it actually takes years of concentrated focus and effort in the studio. Lauriston Avery has dedicated an extensive amount of time working in his New York studio, mastering the process of manipulating vernacular materials, such as soil, glue, feathers, mirrors, hair, and turn these into a provocative body of work.

Philipp Westerbarkei

A cold wind whistles as the minibus arrives at the grounds of the rehearsal stage of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Duisburg. Voices, laughter and lively hustle and bustle can be heard. One of them catches your eye immediately because of his physical presence: Philipp Westerbarkei. We meet him this Saturday in Duisburg to talk about his current production, „Roméo et Juliette“ by Charles Gounod.

Brian Storm

Wim Wenders, Pharrell, Liam Gallagher and Frank Ocean, they all have received the royal treatment: an illustration by Brian Storm.

PALOMA VARGA WEISZ

A naked man hangs from the ceiling. His long-limbed, life-sized body is the rst thing coming into view, as the heavy studio door opens. The room with high ceilings and the cathedral-like windows is located in a former factory building of the “Duewag” on the edge of the Lierenfeld industrial estate. There is a strong smell of wood in the air. The male nude’s eyes are closed. He is slim, slender and made of limewood. This is the wood from which most of the sculptures of the Düsseldorfer artist Paloma Varga Weisz are made.

ALICE EIKELPOTH

‘please excuse my many spelling mistakes in the interview, the keyboard of my laptop is broken and i can’t use capital letters nor question or exclamation marks, haha…sorry’, writes Alice Eikelpoth when sending her questionnaire back.

FROM COAL TO CULTURE: RUHRGEBIET RELOADED

Get into the car at the weekend, leave Düsseldorf ’s city limits behind and drive to the neighbouring region of the RUHR AREA to enjoy a bit of cultural diversity. ‘Ab in den Pott’ as the locals would say. It is a region that made history due to its heavy industrial manufacturing past. Even though the collieries were closed long ago, the Ruhrgebiet remains acutely alive due to its extremely high population density.

Gil Bronner

“My own unpunctuality is my rebellion against my father’s punctuality”, says Gil Bronner when he walks through the door of his Philara Collection only slightly late. The former glass factory Lennartz that the property developer bought and rebuilt extensively over the course of two years lies in a shabby backyard off Birkenstraße.

Chris Succo

A visit in Chris Succo’s studio: The silver-grey roll-up door is being lifted after ringing Chris Succo Studio’s doorbell. Behind the shutter appears a man with messy blond hair, all dressed in black and a band sweater. We walk past a black Mini and a storage area towards the main studio with its red couch.