Kölnischer Kunstverein

The Kölnischer Kunstverein brings contemporary art into Cologne, Germany, through exhibitions, events, and spaces for artistic exchange. Its history reaches back to the year 1839. Hans Arp exhibited here in 1919, followed by Paul Klee in 1932.

Fluxus entered its programme through the 1970 exhibition Happening und Fluxus, linking visual art with experimentation. Since 2003, ten refurbished studios have offered artists rent-free working space apart from utility costs. Exhibitions have included artists such as Chris Korda, Melike Kara, Petrit Halilaj, and Alexandra Bircken. The Brücke, designed by Wilhelm Riphahn, contains exhibition rooms, project offices, an artist’s flat, hall, and cinema. Filmclub 813 shares that cinema, while lectures, performances, music, and electronic sound extend the programme.

Exhibitions bring established artists and emerging voices together across contemporary practices. A library preserves documentation of dozens of projects and exhibitions. Look for the unusual combination: ten studios, a cinema, and a venue shaped by Cologne’s experimental art history.