Armin Mueller-Stahl: Active as a full-time painter in Emden at the age of 95!

Armin Mueller-Stahl: Active as a full-time painter in Emden at the age of 95!

What does a master of art do after 95 years? Armin Mueller-Stahl, who has made a name for himself not only as a celebrated actor but also as a talented painter, shows us. The artist, who was born in East Prussia, paints every day in the basement of his house and describes himself as a “full-time painter”. For him, there is no age at which one should stop expressing one's creativity - and he now does so with full passion, even in his old age. His extensive exhibition is currently in the Emden Art Gallery to see where over 100 of his works will be presented until April 12, 2026.

Mueller-Stahl grew up in an artistic family in which drawing, painting and making music played a central role. He began drawing at the age of three and taught his colleagues bizarre sketches on beer mats during his time at the theater. How Focus reports, he has also transformed numerous scripts into picture diaries - an example of this is his copy of "Buddenbrooks", which is part of the Emden exhibition. This transformation of film idea into art shows the parallels between his painting and his acting, which is not just about words but also about expression and emotions.

A fascinating career

Armin Mueller-Stahl's acting career began in the GDR, where he quickly became a celebrated actor at the Volksbühne. He appeared in numerous plays for over two decades before he finally emigrated to the Federal Republic of Germany in 1980 and two years later celebrated his Hollywood debut in “Music Box – The Whole Truth”. Countless films, such as “Shine – The Way into the Light,” for which he even received an Oscar nomination in 1997, as well as “Kafka” and “Eastern Promises,” are part of his impressive portfolio. The last film he appeared in was titled Knight of Cups in 2015.

In the long list of his important works, his role in the series “The Invisible Visor”, which achieved great popularity in the GDR, stands out. He had made over 140 films in his career before he announced his departure from the film business in 2006. Wikipedia traces his eventful life in detail and shows how often he switched between East and West, between theater, film and painting. Despite his many experiences, both enjoyable and challenging, he has retained a positive attitude and the urge for creativity.

A creative legacy

His exhibition is currently being intensively attended, and rightly so. The diversity of his artistic works reflects not only his personal experiences, but also the social upheavals and historical events that he lived through. Even the themes of war and dictatorship can be found in his images, which are powerful and haunting. This personal touch makes the works special and contributes to their high artistic value. The exhibition also shows how time and world events shape his art.

If you would like to find out more about the career and works of this extraordinary artist, we recommend reading the catalog accompanying the exhibition, which is available at the museum box office for only 28 euros. A real eye-catcher, because this catalog not only contains numerous images of his works, but also texts that provide deeper insights into his way of thinking and his artistic vision.

Armin Mueller-Stahl plans to celebrate his 95th birthday in a small circle, but his art will surely inspire many generations to come. “I paint to live,” he says, and you can’t help but take that seriously when you stand in front of his pictures. A legend among us that shows us that passion for art never ends, no matter how old you are.