Episode 105 | Learning by Doing | Walter Gehlen (EN) | Founder, Director Art Düsseldorf

 

In this episode I speak with Walter Gehlen, co-founder and director of Art Düsseldorf, about learning by doing, finding your own solutions instead of following established models, and staying open to directions you may not have anticipated.
Art, art history, Psychiatry, economics, professional cooking, consulting and eventually an art fair — Walter Gehlen’s career was never built around a master plan. It developed through curiosity, experience and a willingness to move on when one path no longer made sense. And over time, skills acquired in very different worlds began to connect.
The book recommendation for this episode is Verschwende Deine Jugend | Waste your youth by Jürgen Teipel. Published in Germany originally in 2001 by Suhrkamp Verlag, an english translation is available through them. Built entirely from original voices, the book captures the late 70‘s, early 80‘s in Germany, when places like Düsseldorf became laboratories for music, art, fashion, and ideas. And all people involved shared the same DIY attitude. I think it’s one of the most important books about the special culture of punk and new wave in Germany. As always you can listen to it at the end of the talk.
This episode is in english.
Portrait photo by Achim Hehn