Academy of Visual Arts

At a glance

The "Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig - Academy of Visual Arts, Leipzig", is one of the oldest art academies in Germany. Its change of names gives evidence to the living history of the school, which was founded in 1764 as the "Zeichnungs-, Mahlerey und Architectur-Akademie". Since 1950 the schools bears its present name "Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig". Today, 600 students are majoring in "Book Arts/Graphic Design", "Painting/Fine Art Graphics", "Photography" and "Media Art". In 2009 the new postgraduate study programme "Cultures of the Curatorial" started. This program is combining application-oriented research practice with academic reflection. It is oriented towards people with different disciplinary and professional backgrounds: in the arts -- visual arts, dance, theatre, film and music -- as well as in cultural mediation, in the humanities, social and natural sciences.

The professors and lecturers teaching at the HGB have an international reputation and are known for their artistic work.

The study program consist of ten semesters. These are divided into four semesters of core studies and 6 semesters of specialized studies on a chosen subject. During the integrative core study courses students get introduced into the fundamentals of all disciplines offered by the academy. Later on during their specialized studies the students will be given expert knowledge in their chosen discipline. Besides the practical work, theoretical education is an essential part of our study programms. Furthermore, the extensively renovated workshops of the HGB offer a traditional artistic introduction in the following art forms: Lithography, Etching, Serigraphy and the graphic workshops: Manual Typesetting, Letterpress, Offset Printing, Reproduction and Book Covering. Students and teachers produce in cooperation with the "Institute for Book Arts" books with highest art standards, which are prized nationally and internationally each year.

The academy's own gallery provides all students with the possibility of getting in touch with the development of contemporary exhibition culture through conceptual projects. It shows works from members of the academy as well as from international artists. In that way, the gallery functions as a showcase to the public and produces dialogues with relevant questions on society and arts.

Since October 2002 an "Audiovisuelle Labor" (AV-Labor: audio-visual lab) was established at the HGB. In the tradition of the main workshops the AV-Labor marks the progress towards education with a transparent and interdisciplinary orientation in a working environment which becomes overall more and more digital. Even if it just seems to be an effective workplace, the AV-Labor will be a trademark symbolizing future and innovation at the HGB Leipzig.

Here you will find some impressions of the Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig/ Academy of Visual Arts Leipzig.