Schule des Sehens

seminar by Kokoschka

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July 13, 2026

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The "Schule des Sehens" (School of Seeing) was an annual seminar established by Austrian painter and writer Oskar Kokoschka in 1953. It was part of the International Summer Academy for Visual Arts in Salzburg, Austria. Kokoschka, a leading figure of Expressionism, focused on developing students' ability to observe and interpret the world visually. His approach emphasized the artist's subjective experience and the emotional aspects of perception, moving beyond mere representation. The seminar aimed to cultivate a deeper, more creative way of seeing, reflecting Kokoschka's own artistic philosophy that art is not just about three dimensions but also about the "fourth dimension" of creative vision.1

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Oskar Kokoschka
World War II and after
…established an annual seminar called Schule des Sehens (“School of Seeing”) at the International Summer Academy for Visual Arts in Salzburg, Austria. He also completed a second mythological trilogy, Thermopylae (1954). In the 1950s Kokoschka designed tapestries and theatrical scenery and worked increasingly in lithography. He also continued his political…
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…established an annual seminar called Schule des Sehens (“School of Seeing”) at the International Summer Academy for Visual Arts in Salzburg, Austria. He also completed a second mythological trilogy, Thermopylae (1954). In the 1950s Kokoschka designed tapestries and theatrical scenery and worked increasingly in lithography. He also continued his political…
Read More