5 places for contemporary art in Hamburg

An investor based nearby was granted a building permit, because he also paid for the renovation of the Künstlerhaus, a former natural intestine factory. Over a dozen artists have worked in the studios since 1985, and open their doors regularly to interested visitors.

Since 1997, a vibrant collection of contemporary painting and photography has been growing in its 5600 square metres, with works by Gerhard Richter, Andy Warhol and David Hockney. A work that transcends time and space is Bogomir Ecker’s Tropfsteinmaschine, which extends over every floor in the building.

Welcome to the temple of art, which was once a rubber factory. The best of our era hang in the huge white hall with the broad floors. The privately collected artworks by Jonathan Meese, Hanne Darboven and Ralf Ziervogel can only be viewed in the company of a guide, except on the first Sunday of every month.

Under the curation of Ingo Taubhorn, the two restored Deichtorhallen near the central station offer fascinating temporary exhibitions. Particularly in the House of Photography, the ‘gute aussichten’ (work by young photographers) is a recurring highlight. The hall next door shows contemporary art, mostly in the form of interactive holistic concepts. A visit to the museum bookshop is a must.

This is where the rising stars go. The Kunsthaus has been set up as the core venue for up-and-coming contemporary artists. In particular, works of current visual art and related disciplines are exhibited in between six and ten individual and group exhibitions a year.