Detours | Ahrenshoop artists’ colony
Sand Dunes And Colour

Ahrenshoop on northern Germany’s Fischland-Darss-Zingst peninsula is a special place that attracts art and nature lovers alike. Its artists’ colony combines creative traditions with modern culture – guaranteeing a richly multilayered experience of the sea, art galleries and history.

By Sarah Klein

Those with a keen appreciation of not only the fine arts but also the beauty of nature should definitely visit the Ahrenshoop artists’ colony. Originally rather remote, this fishing village used to be difficult to reach. This changed during Germany’s industrial era, which saw the road network expanded in the late nineteenth century – and scores of artists felt magically drawn to Ahrenshoop. They came partly because art was already being practised here, but also because of the peace and quiet, the special quality of the light between the brackish lagoons (known as bodden) and the Baltic Sea, and the unspoilt landscape. Painters such as Paul Müller-Kaempff and Anna Gerresheim were among the first to rent fisherman’s cottages, set up their studios and form a community that deliberately set itself apart from urban art centres. The result was a colony that is known to this day for its creative atmosphere and scenic beauty.

These days, Ahrenshoop offers a broad range of cultural activities. The local art museum for instance exhibits both modernist and contemporary works. It also boasts a collection that brings the colony’s colourful history to life. Smaller galleries, studios and the historic artists’ residence Lukas also open their doors to anyone with an interest in art. The latter regularly offers residency scholarships to artists from Germany and abroad. Numerous courses and workshops enable visitors to give free rein to their own artistic ideas.

Besides the art on offer here, the second ace up Ahrenshoop’s sleeve is its location: enjoy long recuperative walks along West Beach with its wild dune landscape and recharge your batteries in the stunning natural surroundings of the Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park. The village architecture – dominated by thatched cottages – blends harmoniously into the scenic environment. Another unusual feature is that many of the buildings were designed by artists and bear their individual signature.