On Sunday, February 1st, 2026 our 1st-year MFA cohort landed in Düsseldorf to begin the Spring semester. 

We were given a tour of the neighborhood and enjoyed an authentic welcome dinner at Brauerei im Füchschen in the Düsseldorf Altstadt with Painting faculty & staff Jutta Haeckel, Stefan Kürten, and Beatrice Richter. 

During the week we received the keys to our studios, got settled in, visited the Kunstakademie annual exhibition, and learned a bit from Stefan about the art and history of Düsseldorf. We are very excited to begin our three months in this beautiful city!

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From Tuesday, October 28, 2025, to Friday, October 31, 2025, the 2nd-year MFA cohort visited Berlin! From the moment of arrival, one could tell that this city emits a unique and bustling energy. Together we visited: the Brandenburg Gate, Hamburger Bahnhof, Gemäldegalerie, Alte Nationalgalerie, Neue Nationalgalerie, and Max Hetzler gallery for Katharina Grosse and Grace Weaver. Side quests included the Berlin Cathedral, a techno show, thrift stores, and parks. 

One special evening was spent at Vorfluter (Donaustrasse 112, Berlin) for the show of Alfred Düsseldorf MFA painting alumni Isabel Monti! On Thursday, October 30th, Isabel hosted our group and other visitors for a Potluck Dinner at the gallery. It was a wonderful time to share space, see Isabel’s new work, and celebrate the occasion with love.

Berlin offers a lot to see, especially within the arts. The city is expansive and exciting. I would choose to return in a heartbeat, because there is undoubtedly much more to discover and enjoy!

📸 Max Heaton

On Thursday, October 23, 2025, the 2nd-year MFA cohort hosted art writer Frank Schlablewski for a group critique. Frank is a creative thinker with a strong knowledge of art history. As the critique settled in, it became clear what the priority was … Frank wanted to find the connection between the artist and the work. He wanted to learn about the artist, view the art, run with his imagination, and challenge each artist to reach an authentic endpoint in their own work. Frank would take a suggestion from a sketchbook and wonder about the painting. Frank would analyze different artworks within an artist’s studio, and express which work was singing most beautifully. He provided insight for each artist to wonder about and take seriously if they see fit to do so.

📸 Max Heaton

On Monday, October 20, 2025, the 2nd-year MFA cohort visited the studio of our very own Stefan Kürten. As studying artists, it is always useful to be able to get into the mind of a professional visual artist. We were able to ask questions, hear stories, and learn some artistic wisdom from Stefan. Visiting Stefan’s studio gave us a greater insight into his history as an artist, giving us a chance to see different works made over the years. 

📸 Max Heaton

On Tuesday, October 14, 2025, the 2nd-year MFA cohort visited the Kunstpalast in Düsseldorf for a guided tour of the Hans-Peter Feldmann (1941-2023) exhibition. We were hosted by the museum’s curator, Felicity Korn, who took us through the exhibition and into the life of the artist. Hans-Peter was born and raised in Düsseldorf, and also operated an ordinary souvenir shop within the city. Hans-Peter Feldmann was known as a conceptual artist, working across multiple media, including photography, sculpture, painting, books, and light. The artist would often take mundane objects from everyday life and elevate them into works of art. By working across different media, Hans-Peter often defied art-world conventions, including making unsigned prints where there was no limit to the number of editions.

📸 Max Heaton

On Tuesday, October 7, 2025, the 2nd-year MFA cohort visited the German city of Wuppertal for a visit to the Skulpturenpark Waldfrieden. Wuppertal is known for its Schwebebahn, a suspension monorail that dates back 1901; we had the pleasure of riding this unique mode of transportation on our way to the sculpture park.

The sculpture park is situated on hilly woodland. To access the park, we walked up a winding, tree-lined access road. The park came into existence through the vision work of Tony Cragg, an internationally known artist who lives in Wuppertal. He transformed the abandoned estate of Villa Waldfrieden into a sculpture park of roughly 30 acres, and adorned the landscape with many of his own sculptures. There are over 60 sculptures within the park, including works by other artists< as well as glass pavilions with work exhibited inside.

What makes this place so special is the idea that one can enjoy nature and art simultaneously. The day of our visit was enhanced by inclement weather of rain and mist. The rain interacted with the art, providing intimate moments that would not be experienced given a day of “nice” weather. 

📸 Max Heaton

From Tuesday, September 23, 2025, to Thursday, September 25, 2025, the 2nd-year MFA cohort visited the one and only Amsterdam! We arrived by train at the Central Station, placed our belongings at the hotel, and were swept up into the reverie of the city.

Over the course of the next few days, we experienced much of the great art that Amsterdam has to offer. On day one, we visited the Stedelijk Museum, the city’s largest venue for contemporary art. The next day, we went to the Van Gogh Museum and roamed the halls of the Rijksmuseum, which houses the works of Dutch legends Rembrandt and Johannes Vermeer. It was especially unique to witness the presentation of Rembrandt’s The Night Watch, which is staged in a glass room, where the public can witness the conservation process. Finally, we wrapped up our visit at Rembrandt’s historic home.

📸 Max Heaton

On Monday, September 22, 2025, the 2nd-year MFA cohort had the pleasure of welcoming photographer Kai Schmidt to the studios for a photography workshop! Kai is a graduate of the Kunstakademie in Düsseldorf and a former pupil of our very own Stefan Kürten. Kai spent a full day with us in the studios, schooling us on various photography considerations, so that we can document our work via the camera. There is no doubt that the contemporary artist must be concerned with photography when applying for residency, open call, etc.

Some wise words from Kai, when considering photography, our work:

• Avoid many light sources, work with one single light quality; isolate the lighting as to work with one light source (pick natural or staged lighting, not both), and utilize indirect lighting.
• Use a tripod; micro movement will result in poorer quality.
• Place the camera in the middle of your picture and take the shot.
• If you are new to photography, build up your skills slowly.

📸 Max Heaton

From Friday, September 12, 2025, to Sunday, September 14, 2025, the 2nd-year MFA cohort took part in Kunstpunkte, an all-city celebration of artist open studios in Düsseldorf. In preparation for the event, we cleaned up the studios, converted them to a temporary gallery space, and hung our work on the walls. Before the event, we critiqued our work and dialed in our art handling concerns.

Drum roll, please … work has been sold! The majority of our group sold their work to patrons who visited the studios. As artists, it is important to have our work be seen and be sold to people who put the work on their walls at home. Düsseldorf is a city with a genuine concern and curiosity for fine art. To participate in an event such as Kunstpunkte situates us artists in a place that is a part of art history. To show our work to the public in such a place as Düsseldorf is a meaningful experience. Thank you to Beatrice Richter and Frank Schlablewski who ushered in guided tours, all who came to look at our art!