In today’s episode, my guest is Felicity Korn, Head of the 20th/21st Century Collection and Deputy Director to FelixKrämer at the Kunstpalast Düsseldorf.

Art has always been Korn’s driving force. After her studies in Glasgow and Karlsruhe, she gained formative experience at institutions such as the ZKM and the Städel Museum Frankfurtbefore joining Felix Krämer at the Kunstpalast. Having worked on major exhibitions—from „Battle of the Sexes“ to Emil Nolde—she reflects on the diverse workings of museums, their collections, and what it means to lead a collection rooted in a strong local yet internationally connected art scene.

We talk about Düsseldorf’s vibrant cultural landscape and themuseum’s mission to stay relevant for everyone: newcomers and art lovers alike. Korn shares how the Kunstpalast offers new perspectives through storytelling, rethinking the “white cube,” and creating meaningful, welcoming experiences.

With museums competing against streaming platforms and shrinking attention spans, Korn discusses how she and her team adapt to shifting cultural expectations. We explore her path into art, her hands-on learning philosophy, and how contextual storytelling shapes her approach to exhibition-making—past, present, and future.

RecordedOctober 2025, 55 min., language english. Portrait photo by Andreas Endermann

Links:

https://www.kunstpalast.de/en/event/kunstlerinnen/

https://www.staedelmuseum.de/en/exhibitions-programme

https://van-horn.net/podcast/

www.youtube.com/@vanhorngallery