Anselm Kiefer

Anselm Kiefer, a prominent German painter and sculptor, engages deeply with historical narratives in his extensive body of work. He tackles taboo and contentious subjects from recent history, with a notable focus on themes related to the Nazi regime. His artistic style is often associated with the New Symbolism and Neo-Expressionism movements. Kiefer is most renowned for his remarkable paintings, which have progressively grown in size and complexity, often incorporating unconventional materials like lead, shattered glass, and dried flora.

Biography of Anselm Kiefer

Anselm Kiefer was born in 1945 in Donaueschingen, Germany. Currently, he resides and works in Paris.

His academic pursuits led him to the University of Freiburg, where he initially studied pre-law and Romance languages. However, after three semesters, he made a pivotal shift to the world of art, embarking on his artistic journey by attending art academies in Freiburg and Karlsruhe. In Karlsruhe, he honed his skills under the tutelage of Peter Dreher, a prominent realist and figurative painter. He received his art degree in 1969.

Kiefer's artistic exploration extended to the realm of book design in 1969. His early forays into this medium often involved the meticulous reworking of photographs. More recently, his books have evolved to feature lead sheets adorned with layers of paint, minerals, or dried plant materials, showcasing his ever-evolving creativity.

In 1971, Kiefer established his studio in Hornbach (Walldürn) and maintained a creative presence in the Neckar-Odenwald-Kreis region until 1992, a period often referred to as "The German Years" in his artistic output. In 1992, he embarked on a new chapter, relocating to France, where his art continued to captivate audiences and provoke thought.

Notably, in 2007, Kiefer achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first artist to receive a commission for a permanent installation at the Louvre in Paris. 

Anselm Kiefer's Artistic Style

Anselm Kiefer's artistic creations are a unique amalgamation of diverse materials such as straw, ash, clay, lead, and shellac. His fascination with the transformative process of metal during heating and melting is particularly evident in his works, where he revels in the vibrant interplay of colors, notably the symbolic gold reminiscent of alchemical pursuits. For Kiefer, gold represents a profound metaphorical quest.

Kiefer employs straw in his art as a symbol of energy, attributing this choice to the material's inherent qualities, including its golden hue and its capacity to release energy and heat when ignited. The ashes resulting from its combustion, in his perspective, symbolize a fresh beginning and renewal, echoing motifs of transformation and the cyclical nature of life.

Kiefer's inspiration draws from traditional mythology, books, and libraries, which serve as the primary subjects that fuel his creative vision. His later works incorporate themes from a diverse array of cultures, including Judeo-Christian, ancient Egyptian, and Oriental influences, artfully interwoven with other motifs. A significant focal point in his works is the concept of cosmogony, exploring the origins of the universe.

The inception of Kiefer's artistic career involved the creation of performances that he meticulously documented through photography. In a provocative artistic statement, he donned his father's Wehrmacht uniform and replicated the Nazi salute in various locations across France, Switzerland, and Italy. Through this striking gesture, he implored Germans to confront and acknowledge the cultural losses incurred due to the extreme xenophobia of the Third Reich.

Under the informal tutelage of Joseph Beuys at Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, Kiefer's stylistic inclinations began to mirror the approach of artists like Georg Baselitz.

During the subsequent decade, Kiefer delved into the study of Kabbalah. Extensive journeys through Europe, the United States, and the Middle East further enriched his artistic repertoire.

Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, Kiefer produced a plethora of artworks, including paintings, watercolors, woodcuts, and books, all inspired by the themes present in Richard Wagner's four-opera cycle, "Der Ring des Nibelungen" (The Ring of the Nibelung).

In the early 1980s, he created a series of over thirty works, including paintings, painted photographs, and watercolors, inspired by the Romanian Jewish writer Paul Celan's poem "Todesfuge" ("Death Fugue").

By the mid-1980s, Kiefer's artistic focus broadened from Germany's role in civilization to encompass broader themes, including the fate of art and culture at large. His work became increasingly sculptural and delved into national identity, collective memory, occult symbolism, theology, and mysticism.

One of Kiefer's most notable creations is "20 Years of Solitude," a piece whose creation spanned two decades from 1971 to 1991. It comprises a towering stack of white-painted ledgers and handcrafted books adorned with mud and dried vegetation. Their pages bear stains from the artist's own semen. The title, "20 Years of Solitude," alludes to Kiefer's frequent acts of self-exploration onto paper during the prolonged creative process, a poignant and deeply personal aspect of this remarkable work.

Exhibitions and Lasting Impact

In 1980, Anselm Kiefer's artwork was prominently showcased at the XXIX Venice Biennale, housed within the German Pavilion. His work at this exhibition garnered widespread acclaim from art critics and enthusiasts alike.

In 2007, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao hosted a significant retrospective of Kiefer's work, cementing his status as a prominent figure in the art world.

His art has been featured in various exhibitions over the years, including Folkwang, Essen (1981); Städtische Kunsthalle, Düsseldorf; Musée d’Art Contemporain, Bordeaux ARC/Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, and the Israel Museum, Jerusalem (1984); Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (1986); Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Art of Philadelphia, MOCA in Los Angeles, and MoMA in New York (1987). These exhibitions have collectively contributed to his enduring legacy in the world of contemporary art.