Jörg Heiser on 250 Years of Art Academies: No Recipe for Teaching Art

In an interview with Monopol, Jörg Heiser, dean at the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK), discusses the history and future of art academies. He notes that art schools have existed for about 250 years, initially serving as places primarily for men, where the artist was imagined as a male genius channeling divine inspiration. In the second half of the 19th century, this began to shift. Heiser questions whether the masterclass system is patriarchal nonsense and explores the illusions and missteps of academies, while suggesting they might still point the way to the future. The interview touches on whether art can be learned, the legacy of the masterclass system, and the potential of art schools to adapt. The full conversation is available to Monopol Plus subscribers, with a free one-month trial offered, after which the subscription costs €4.90 per month and can be canceled with 7 days' notice.