Joseph Beuys and his students

Epigones? No thanks! As professor at the Dusseldorf Art Academy, Joseph Beuys always encouraged his students to pursue their own personal path. The show "To be a teacher is my greatest work of art" now presents around 150 works on paper by Beuys and his most important students from the Deutsche Bank Collection. Achim Drucks introduces the exhibition at the Kunstmuseum Ahlen.

Vik Muniz: Art in the Favelas

Painting in the shadow of the drug cartels: the Brazilian art star Vik Muniz founded an art school in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro and employs street kids in his studio. For his "Pictures of Junk", they recreated paintings by Old Masters like Carravaggio or Goya - recycled from the city's refuse like buckets, wheels or fridges. Morgan Falconer visited Vik Muniz in New York for an interview.

Ayse Erkmen's Interventions

She lets her sculptures fly and sends ferries around the globe: Ayse Erkmen became widely known for her spectacular art actions. A lot of the artist's temporary interventions had to be recreated for her show in Berlin - a remix instead of a retrospective. But this works out fine for the Turkish-born artist, because the core of her work is its concept - an approach that she also teaches to her students.

German Pop Art: Thomas Bayrle

Unretired Artist: Thomas Bayrle retired six years ago. Since then, the former teacher at the Städel School in Frankfurt has more work than ever before. Bayrle taught art market darlings like Tobias Rehberger and Thomas Zipp; now he has become a star in his own right. In a conversation with Daniel Völzke, Bayrle talks about his students, who seem to understand him much better than his own generation.

Artists as Teachers

"To be a teacher is my greatest work of art." This programmatic statement by Joseph Beuys proves how seriously he took his job as professor at the Dusseldorf Art Academy. The quote also provides the title for a show by the Deutsche Bank Collection that juxtaposes works by Beuys with that of his students. The occasion leads us to dedicate the current issue of db artmag to the theme "Artists as Teachers" +++ At the academy, Joseph Beuys always encouraged his students to pursue their own personal path. Now, "To be a teacher is my greatest work of art" shows 150 works on paper by Beuys and his most important students from the Deutsche Bank Collection. Achim Drucks on the show at the Kunstmuseum Ahlen +++ The Brazilian art star Vik Muniz founded an art school in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro and employs street kids in his studio. Morgan Falconer met with Muniz for an interview +++ Thomas Bayrle retired six years ago, but the former teacher at the Städel School in Frankfurt is more popular than ever. Daniel Völzke on the German Pop Art pioneer +++ For her exhibition in Berlin, Ayse Erkmen had to recreate many of her temporary installations. This fits the artist’s strategy quite well, as the core of her works is their concept—an approach that she also teaches to her students.