Anselm Kiefer: History, Memory, and Myth

Anselm Kiefer (born 1945) is a German artist working across painting, sculpture, mixed media, and photography, known for his large-scale, materially dense works that engage with history, memory, and myth.

His practice often incorporates unconventional materials such as lead, ash, straw, and concrete, producing heavily textured surfaces that evoke themes of ruin, transformation, and cultural memory. Kiefer’s works frequently reference German history, literature, and philosophy, reflecting on the legacy of the Second World War and broader questions of collective identity.

Working on an expansive scale, his installations and paintings create immersive environments that merge symbolism with physical presence. Through this approach, Kiefer constructs complex visual narratives that explore the intersections of history, destruction, and renewal within contemporary culture.

Missouri, Mississippi, by Anselm Kiefer. Courtesy of the Saint Louis Art Museum

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KEY WORKS: Parsifal I, 1973 (London: Tate Collection); Margarethe, 1981 (New York: Marion Goodman Gallery); Osiris and Isis, 1985–87 (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art); Interior, 1981 (Amsterdam: Stedelijk Museum)