The art academy is the hub of the Düsseldorf art scene. Founded in 1773 by Elector Carl Theodor, protagonists such as Joseph Beuys, Heinz Mack, Otto Piene, Gerhard Richter and Günther Uecker developed new ideas here from the 1950s onwards and gave rise to movements such as German Pop, ZERO and Fluxus. The art academy was in demand several times as a film location.
In the 1990s, the Düsseldorf School of Photography at the Kunstakademie under the direction of Bernd and Hilla Becher became famous. Their students included Andreas Gursky, Candida Höfer, Axel Hütte, Thomas Ruff, Jörg Sasse and Thomas Struth - all big names today. The annual tour of the venerable neo-Renaissance main building at the end of each winter semester is therefore highly recommended as a talent show. The Kunstakademie Düsseldorf is also very popular as a film location. None other than director Wim Wenders chose it as the backdrop for his movie “Palermo Shooting”. In the film, Campino plays the leading role of a stressed photographer. The Düsseldorf “Tatort” also shot several scenes in the building - including a murder, of course. The film “Werk ohne Autor” was also shot here and was nominated for an Oscar.
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