Anselm Kiefer

In 1965 Anselm Kiefer began to study law and French language letters but 1966 found him studying painting under Peter Dreher in Freiburg. From 1969 he continued his art academy studies under Horst Antes in Karlsruhe. That same year Kiefer had his first one-man show at the Galerie am Kaiserplatz. From 1970 until 72 Kiefer was in Beuys' class at the Düsseldorf Academy. Inspired by his teacher, Kiefer made his preoccupation with German history and Nordic mythology with the focus on the human and political hubris and the redemptive expectation the focal point of his work. Unlike Beuys, however, Kiefer reverted in many respects to classical history painting. From it he has borrowed the monumental formats and historical content, the approach of producing cycles and painting in the lavish grand manner geared to being viewed at a distance. In addition to these relief-like paintings, the artist has also developed lead sculpture in large formats and has worked in traditional media such as the woodcut, watercolour and especially photography. Leaden large format sculptures like 'Zweistromland' emerged from his occupation with ancient Egypt culture and old testament mysticism during the late 1980s. At the beginning Anselm Kiefer took often part in exhibitions. Large one-man shows, including exhibitions at the Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, in 1978, the Folkwang Museum, Essen, in 1979, the Städtischen Kunsthalle Düsseldorf in 1981 and the Art Institute of Chicago in 1984 as well as participation in documenta 6, 7 and 8 are just a few of the major milestones in his career. In 1990 he was awarded the Wolf Prize in Jerusalem and the Kaiserring of the city of Goslar. With work in museums throughout the world, Anselm Kiefer is one of the most important but controversial German painters of the present. In 2002 the Fondation Beyeler in Riehen has dedicated the largest retrospective to Kiefer that he has yet had, covering work from three decades.

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