Anselm Kiefer

Kiefer's childhood in post-war Germany profoundly shaped his artistic vision. Growing up amidst the ruins of a defeated nation, he became acutely aware of the weight of history and the need to confront the past. This early exposure to destruction and rebuilding would become a recurring theme in his work.

Kiefer studied law and Romance languages before turning to art. He trained under conceptual artist Joseph Beuys at the Düsseldorf Academy of Art in the late 1960s. Beuys' emphasis on materials and their symbolic meanings greatly influenced Kiefer's approach to art-making.

Kiefer's art is characterised by several key elements:

• Use of unconventional materials: Kiefer incorporates materials like straw, ash, lead, and clay into his paintings and sculptures, giving them a tactile, three-dimensional quality.

• Large scale: Many of Kiefer's works are monumental in size, creating an immersive experience for viewers.

• Layered meanings: His pieces often combine historical references, literary allusions, and personal symbolism, inviting multiple interpretations.

• Exploration of German history: Kiefer confronts Germany's Nazi past and its aftermath in many of his works.

• Interest in mythology and mysticism: He frequently draws on ancient myths, religious texts, and esoteric traditions for inspiration.

In the 1970s, Kiefer gained attention with a series of provocative photographs and paintings that addressed Germany's Nazi past. His "Occupations" series (1969) showed the artist performing the Nazi salute in various European locations. While controversial, these works were intended as a critique of Germany's reluctance to confront its history.

Kiefer's early paintings often depicted desolate landscapes with symbolic elements like burning fields or ruined buildings. These works, such as "Nero Paints" (1974), explored themes of destruction and rebirth, linking Germany's recent past with ancient myths and historical cycles.

• “Margarethe” (1981): This painting, inspired by Paul Celan’s poem “Death Fugue”, features a field of golden straw with the name “Margarethe” written in black. It contrasts the “golden-haired” Margarethe with the “ashen-haired” Shulamith, symbolising the persecution of Jews during the Holocaust.

• “The Orders of the Night” (1996): This massive painting depicts a prone figure surrounded by a starry sky, exploring themes of mortality and cosmic cycles.

• “Falling Stars” (2007): A large-scale installation featuring books made of lead, representing the weight of knowledge and history.

• “The Seven Heavenly Palaces” (2004–2015): A permanent installation at HangarBicocca in Milan, consisting of seven towering concrete structures that evoke both ancient ziggurats and modern ruins.

Kiefer’s innovative use of materials is central to his artistic practice. He often works with:

• Lead: Symbolising weight, permanence, and alchemical transformation.

• Straw: Representing golden hair, fields, and cycles of growth and decay.

• Ash: Evoking destruction, death, and rebirth.

• Clay: Referencing the earth and primordial creation.

• Photographs: Often incorporated into paintings as a way of layering time and memory.

Kiefer’s technique involves building up layers of paint, materials, and objects on canvas or other surfaces. He sometimes leaves his works outdoors, allowing natural processes to alter them over time. This approach reflects his interest in transformation and the passage of time.

Kiefer’s work engages with a wide range of intellectual and cultural references:

• German history: Confronting the Nazi era and its aftermath is a recurring theme in his art.

• Jewish mysticism: Kiefer draws on Kabbalistic concepts and imagery in many works.

• Norse mythology: Ancient Germanic myths often appear in his paintings and sculptures.

• Alchemy: The idea of transformation and the search for spiritual enlightenment through material processes fascinates Kiefer.

• Literature: Writers like Paul Celan, Ingeborg Bachmann, and Robert Fludd have inspired many of his works.

• Philosophy: Kiefer engages with ideas from thinkers like Martin Heidegger and Walter Benjamin.

Anselm Kiefer’s influence on contemporary art is significant and far-reaching:

• Confronting history: He pioneered a way of addressing difficult historical subjects in art, inspiring other artists to engage with complex political and social issues.

• Material innovation: Kiefer’s use of unconventional materials has expanded the possibilities of painting and sculpture.

• Scale and ambition: His monumental works have encouraged other artists to think on a grand scale.

• Interdisciplinary approach: Kiefer’s integration of literature, philosophy, and science into his art has influenced many contemporary artists.

• Environmental awareness: His use of natural materials and processes has resonated with artists concerned with ecological issues.

Kiefer’s work has generally received high critical acclaim, but it has also sparked debates:

• Representation of Nazi imagery: Some critics have questioned whether Kiefer’s use of Nazi symbols risks glorifying or aestheticising a traumatic history.

• Complexity: The dense layers of meaning in his work can be challenging for some viewers to interpret.

• Monumentality: Some argue that the sheer scale of his works can be overwhelming or self-indulgent.

• Cultural appropriation: His use of Jewish mysticism and other cultural references has sometimes been criticised as appropriative.

Despite these controversies, Kiefer remains one of the most respected and influential artists of his generation.

In recent years, Kiefer has continued to produce ambitious works that expand on his core themes:

• “For Louis-Ferdinand Céline: Voyage au bout de la nuit” (2020): A series of paintings inspired by the controversial French writer’s novel.

• “Field of the Cloth of Gold” (2019): A large-scale installation at White Cube Bermondsey, featuring golden wheat fields and rusted metal structures.

• Ongoing work at La Ribaute: Kiefer’s studio complex in southern France, which he is transforming into a vast artwork and potential public museum.

Anselm Kiefer’s art offers a profound meditation on history, memory, and human experience. Through his innovative use of materials, monumental scale, and complex symbolism, he challenges viewers to confront difficult aspects of the past and consider their relationship to the present.

Kiefer’s work demonstrates the power of art to engage with weighty intellectual and historical subjects while remaining viscerally affecting. His influence extends beyond the art world, contributing to broader cultural discussions about memory, identity, and the role of art in society.

As Kiefer continues to create, his legacy as one of the most significant artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries is secure. His work serves as a testament to the enduring ability of art to grapple with the most profound aspects of human experience and to offer new ways of understanding our complex world.