Guided Tours
In the midst of the political “thaw,” the master students of the German Academy of Arts celebrated Carnival in the coal cellar in 1957 and 1958.
Image gallery
Blick in den Bilderkeller, im Vordergrund Wandbild von Harald Metzkes und Manfred Böttcher
Mural paintings by Manfred Böttcher, Harald Metzkes, Ernst Schroeder, and Horst Zickelbein are on display as a unique document of unofficial art in the GDR and part of the eventful history of the institution and the building. Uninhibited scenes populate the walls of the cellar—this was where artists let loose with what could not have been shown in exhibitions. The pressure felt from the outside and the internal processing of the postwar period brought the artists closer together and led them to respond to one another in their “black” paintings.
Like a magnifying glass, they reflect the artistic and political debates in East and West: How is it that after 1989, criticism was leveled using arguments similar to those of the past? Are “abstract” and “figurative” ideological terms of the 20th century?
The media station features interviews with contemporary witnesses, including Fritz Cremer, Paul Dessau, Helene Weigel, and Arnold Zweig, as audio recordings from a campaign against the Academy.
A publication in German and English provides insights into the debates of that time.
Access to the Bilderkeller is only possible as part of a guided tour.
Mural paintings by Manfred Böttcher, Harald Metzkes, Ernst Schroeder, and Horst Zickelbein
Special guided tours in English, for school groups, and for blind and visually impaired visitors: by appointment: kunstwelten@adk.de
