The Schlumper
Studio

The Schlumpers are an artists’ group founded in 1980 by the Hamburg artist Rolf Laute (1940–2013). The origin of the Schlumper group came from an idea Rolf Laute had for a wall painting in the Wilfried Borck House at the Alsterdorf institute for the handicapped to be created with the participation of some of the house’s artistically talented residents. Today, this group of artists, with differing handicaps and individual artistic attitudes, is celebrated internationally. Self-determination and free artistic activity are the group’s basic principles. The German name “Die Schlumper” comes from the name of the Hamburg street “Beim Schlump” where the artists’ first studio was located.

With the help of the sponsoring organization “Friends of the Schlumpers”, established in 1985, and the Hamburg Ministry for Labor, Health, and Social Welfare, the work project “Schlumper by Profession” was begun in 1993. Through the merger of the sponsoring organization and the “alsterarbeit gGmbH” of the Alsterdorf Evangelical Foundation in 2002, the currently 30 artists continue to have their permanent studio in the old Hamburg meatpacking hall on the Feldstrasse.

In addition to the artists’ work areas, there are also exhibitions of the artists’ current work in the studio, which may be viewed and purchased by appointment.