User:Jrc05680/Kiefer sandbox

This is the Kiefer group sandbox.

Personal life and career
Anson Kiefer was born into a strong Roman Catholic background to parents Cilly and Albert Kiefer on March 8 1945, in the town of Donaueschingen, in the Black Forest. Kiefer grew up sharing a tiny room with his parents, in a world where evidence of the devastation resulting from the fall of the third Reich, was everywhere.

His aim was to bring to acknowledgment of the countries' racism, anti-Semitism, and dangerous Nationalistic Tendencies. He did not want these thoughts to reoccur by not acknowledging German History.

Kiefer's father was an officer in the Wehrmacht during World War II. Kiefer acknowledges that the Wehrmacht participated and were influenced in the extermination of the Jews and others.

After his time as an officer in Wehrmacht, Kiefer’s father worked as an art teacher, exposing his son to art early in life. Despite early artistic inclinations, after graduating high school, Kiefer would study the law and romance languages at the Albert-Ludwigs Univsitat (1965-6) before ultimately switching to painting.

It was there he studied as a pupil of the painter Peter Dreher. In 1969, he studied under Horst Antes at the Staatliche akademie der Bildenden Kunste in Karlsruhe. In 1970 he moved to the Staatliche kuns akademie in Dusseldorf where he met fellow artist Joseph Beuys, whom he would have several influential intellectual exchanges. In 1969, he traveled through Switzerland, Italy, and France.

In 1971, Kiefer moved to the rural town of Walldurn-Hornback in south western Germany where he would remain before finally settling in France in 1992.

Artistic Process
Kiefer values the balance between order and chaos in his work, stating, "[I]f there is too much order, [the piece] is dead; or if there is much chaos, it doesn't cohere." [2]

He also discussed his initial attraction to lead when he had to repair aging pipes in the first house he owned. eventually, he came to admire its sensory qualities. After some time, he began to learn more about lead's connection to alchemy [2], which he extends to many of his works.

Kiefer feels a "spiritual connection" with the materials he works with, "extracting the spirit that already lives within [them]." [2] In doing so, he transforms his materials with acid baths and physical blows with sticks and axes, among other processes.

Kiefer even incorporates dancing in his process, as he views "the human being as an inseparable unit of the spiritual and the material." [2]

Kiefer's large, well developed ideas behind his imagery is what seperates his work from his peers. GavTink (talk) 22:55, 22 April 2019 (UTC) [6]

Philosophy
Generally, Kiefer attributes traditional mythology, books, and libraries as his main subjects and sources of inspiration. In his middle years, his inspiration came from literary figures, namely Paul Celan and Ingeborg Bachmann. His later works incorporate themes from Judeo-Christian, ancient Egyptian, and Oriental cultures, which he combines with previous motifs. Cosmogeny is also a large focus in his works. In all, Kiefer searches for the meaning of existence and "representation of the incomprehensible and the non-representational." [3]

His color of choice is gray, which he labels as "the color of doubt." [3]

Kiefer cares deeply about the space in which his works reside. He claims his works "lose their power completely" if put in the wrong spaces. [2]

People have been critical of Kiefer and his work mentioning that he's been treating the Nazi past thoughtlessly, which instead could be reflecting on other means for artists to use for more recent German history. [4] (pg. 10) GavTink (talk) 03:30, 17 March 2019 (UTC)

Jurgen Harten states, "He has created a series of works utilizing symbols from Nordic and Near Eastern mythology as well as from Dionysius the Aereopagite and the Cabala, although they do not narrowly correspond to to mythological subject matter of the former or the spiritual orders of the latter". [4] (pg.11) GavTink (talk) 03:30, 17 March 2019 (UTC)

Kiefer believes the Nibelungen saga is needing to be confronted and is one of very few among his generation who believes that the myths are "part of his and our multiple consciousness". [4] (pg. 24) GavTink (talk) 03:30, 17 March 2019 (UTC)

Art Market
Due to the spontaneous nature of his creative process, many of his works have issues regarding stability—a concern shared by collectors, dealers, and curators alike. He acknowledges the issue, but says change is part of the process and that their essence will ultimately stay the same. This idea of transformation has a kind of appeal for Kiefer and thus is featured in many of his works. This fascination for the process may have stemmed from the artist’s keen interest in alchemy. He often chooses materials for their alchemical properties—lead in particular being chief among them. In the case of lead, he specifically likes how the metal looks during the heating and melting process when he would see many colors—especially that of gold—which he thought of in a symbolic sense as the gold sought by alchemists. He is also particularly fond of the oxidation of white on lead. He would often try to induce oxidation artificially with the use of acid to speed up the process. Lead was also associated with the alchemical concepts of magic numbers and represented the planet Saturn.

Shellac, another material popular in his work, corresponded to lead in terms of how he felt about its color and energy possibilities. He also liked that while being polished it takes on energy and becomes warm to the touch.

The use of straw in his work is also in part the result of this common theme of energy. Straw again features the color gold and gives off energy, heat, and warmth when burned. This would make way for new creation thus continuing the cycle of life through the transformation process.

Art Work
Over the years Kiefer has made many usual works, but one work stands out among the rest as particularly bizarre—that work being his 20 Years of Solitude piece. Taking over 20 years to create (1971-1991), 20 Years of Solitude is a ceiling-high stack of hundreds of white-painted ledgers and handmade books, strewn with dirt and dried vegetation, whose pages are stained with the artist’s semen. The word solitude in the title references the artists frequent masturbation onto paper during the 20 years it took to create. He asked American art critic Peter Schjeldahl to write a text for a catalog of the masturbation books. Schjeldahl attempted to oblige but ultimately failed in his endeavor. No other critic would take on the task, so the work has largely faded into obscurity.

He would shock the art world yet again at a dinner party in May of 1993. Kiefer and his second wife, Renate Graf, decorated a candlelit commercial loft in New York with white muslin, carpeted the floor with white sand, and staffed it with waiters dressed as mimes with white-face. A handful of art world elite, such as the likes of Sherrie Levine, were served several courses of arcane organ meats, such as pancreas, that were mostly white in color. Not surprisingly, the guests did not find the meal to be particularly appetizing.

All artworks will be from [5] GavTink (talk) 22:58, 22 April 2019 (UTC)

1. Anselm Kiefer, The Second Sinful Fall of Parmenides (Der zweite Siindenfall des Parmenides), 1969. Oil on canvas, 82 5/8 x 98 3/8" (210x250 cm), Private Collection. GavTink (talk) 22:58, 22 April 2019 (UTC)

2. Anselm Kiefer, You're a Painter (Du bist Maler), 1969. Bound book, 9 7/8 x 7 1/2 x 3/8" (25 x 19 x 1 cm), Private Collection. GavTink (talk) 22:58, 22 April 2019 (UTC)

3. Plate I, German Line of Spiritual Salvation, 1975, Deutsche Heilsline, Watercolor on paper, 9 7/16 x 13 3/8" (24 X 34 cm), Private Collection.GavTink (talk) 03:30, 17 March 2019 (UTC)

4. Anselm Kiefer, pages from "Occupations" ("Besetzungen"), 1969. From Interfunktionen (Cologne), no. 12 (1975). GavTink (talk) 23:18, 22 April 2019 (UTC)

5. Plate 2, Every Human Being Stands beneath His Own Dome of Heaven(Federalists Mensch steht unter seinem Himmelskugel), 1970, Watercolor and pencil on paper, 15 3/4 x 18 7/8", (40 x 48 cm), Private Collection. GavTink (talk) 23:18, 22 April 2019 (UTC)

6. Anselm Kiefer, double-page photographic image with foldout from The Flooding of Heidelberg (Die Uberschwemmung Heidelbergs), 1969, 11 7/8 x 8 1/2 x 7/8" (30.2 x 21.7 x 2.3 cm) (bound volume), Private Collection. GavTink (talk) 23:18, 22 April 2019 (UTC)

7. Anselm Kiefer, double-page photographic images from The Flooding of Heidelberg (Die Uberschwemmung Heidelbergs), 1969. GavTink (talk) 23:18, 22 April 2019 (UTC)

8. Anselm Kiefer, Untitled (Ohne Titel), 1971, Oil on canvas (in two parts), each 86 5/8 x 39 3/8" (220 x 100 cm), Collection of Dr. Gunther Gercken, Lutjensee, West Germany. GavTink (talk) 23:32, 22 April 2019 (UTC)

9. Plate 3, Winter Landscape (Winterlandschaft), 1970, Watercolor on paper, 16 15/16 x 14 3/16" (43 x 36 cm), Private Collection. GavTink (talk) 23:32, 22 April 2019 (UTC)

10. Plate 4, Reclining Man with Branch (Liegender Mann mid Zweig), 1971, Watercolor on paper, 9 7/16 x 11" (24 x 28 cm), Private Collection. GavTink (talk) 02:04, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

11. Plate 5, Fulia, 1971, Watercolor and pencil on paper, 18 11/16 x 14 3/16" (47.5 x 36 cm), Private Collection. GavTink (talk) 02:04, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

12. Anselm Kiefer, Quaternity (Quaternitat), 1973, Charcoal and oil on burlap, 118 1/8 x 171 1/4" (300 x 435 cm), Collection of George Baselitz, Derneburg, West Germany. GavTink (talk) 02:04, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

13. Anselm Kiefer, Father, Son, Holy Ghost (Vater, Sohn, heilliger Geist), 1973, Oil on burlap, 65 x 61 1/2" (165 x 156 cm), Collection of Dr. Gunther Gerken, Lutjensee, West Germany. GavTink (talk) 02:04, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

14. Anselm Kiefer, Faith, Hope, Love (Glaube, Hoffnung, Liebe), 1973, Charcoal on burlap, with cardboard, 117 3/8 x 110 5/8" (298 x 281 cm). Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart. GavTink (talk) 02:04, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

15. Plate 6, Man in the Forest (Mann im Wald), 1971, Oil on muslin, 68 1/2 x 74 7/16" (174 x 189 cm), Private Collection. GavTink (talk) 02:04, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

16. Plate 7, Resurrexit, 1973, oil, acrylic and charcoal on burlap, 114 3/16 x 70 7/8" (290 x 180 cm). Collection Sanders, Amsterdam. GavTink (talk) 02:26, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

17. Plate 8, Nothung (Notung), 1973, oil and charcoal on burlap, with oil and charcoal on cardboard, 118 1/8 x 170" (300 x 432 cm). Museum Boymans-van Beuningen, Rotterdam. GavTink (talk) 02:26, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

18. Plate 10, Germany's Spiritual Heroes (Deutschlands Geiteshelden), 1973, oil and charcoal on burlap, mounted on canvas, 120 7/8 x 268 1/2" (307 x 682 cm). Collection of Barbara and Eugene Schwartz, New York. GavTink (talk) 02:26, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

19. Anselm Kiefer, double-page from Heroic Allegories (Heroische Sinnbilder), 1969, photography on cardboard, with pastel and pencil, 26 x 19 5/8 x 4" ( 66 x 50 x 10 cm), Private Collection. GavTink (talk) 02:26, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

20. Anselm Kiefer, Operation Winter Storm (Unternehmen "Wintergewitter"), 1975, oil on burlap, 47 1/4 x 59" (120 x 150 cm), Private Collection. GavTink (talk) 02:26, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

21. Anselm Kiefer, The Lake of Gennesaret (See Genezareth), 1974, oil emulsion, and shellac on burlap, 41 1/4 x 67" (105 x 170 cm), Private Collection. GavTink (talk) 19:39, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

22. Plate 11, Landscape with Head (Landscape mit Kopf), 1973, oil, distemper, and charcoal on cardboard, 82 11/16 x 94 1/2" (210 x 240 cm), Private Collection. GavTink (talk) 19:39, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

23. Plate 12, Cockchafer Fly (Maikafer flieg), 1974, oil on burlap, 86 5/8 x 118 1/8" (220 x 300 cm), Saatchi Collection, London. GavTink (talk) 19:39, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

24. Plate 13, March Heath (Markiche Heide), oil, acrylic and shellac on burlap, 46 1/2 x 100" (118 x 254 cm), Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. GavTink (talk) 19:39, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

25. Anselm Kiefer, There is Peace upon Every Mountain Peak (Uber allen Gipfeln ist Rub), 1973, watercolor on paper, 12 3/8 x 18 7/8" (31.5 x 48 cm), Private Collection. GavTink (talk) 19:39, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

26. Plate 14, Operation Sea Lion I (Unternehmen "Seelowe"), 1975, oil on canvas, 86 5/8 x 118 1/8" (220 x 300 cm), Collection of Norman and Irma Braman, Miami Beach. GavTink (talk) 19:39, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

27. Plate 15, Piet Mondrian- Operation Sea Lion (Piet Mondrian- Unternehmen "Seelowe"), 1975, thirty-four double-page photographic images, mounted on cardboard and bound, 22 7/16 x 16 1/2 x 2" (57 x 42 5 cm) (bound volume), Collection of Marian Goodman, New York. GavTink (talk) 19:39, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

28. Plate 16, March Sand V (Markischer Savd V), 1977, twenty-five double page photgraphic images, with sand, oil, and glue, mounted on cardboard and bound, 24 3/8 x 16 5/8 x 3 3/8" (62 x 42 x 8.5 cm) (bound volume), Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Saul, New York. GavTink (talk) 19:39, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

29. Anselm Kiefer, double-page photographic images from Hoffmann von Fallersleben auf Helgoland, 1978 (Groningen, 1980), 11 7/8 x 8 1/2 x 1/2" (30.2 x 21.6 x 1.3 cm) (bound volume), Private Collection. GavTink (talk) 19:39, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

30. Plate 17, Varus, 1976, oil and acrylic on burlap, 78 3/4 x 106 5/16" (200 x 270 cm), Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. GavTink (talk) 19:39, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

31. Anselm Kiefer, double-page from Germany's Facial Type (Charcoal for 2000 Years) (Das deutsche Volksgesicht [Koble fur 2000 Fabre]), 1974, charcoal on paper, with woodcut, 22 7/16 x 17 3/4 x 2 3/8" (57 x 45 x 6 cm) (bound volume), Private Collection. GavTink (talk) 19:39, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

32. Anselm Kiefer, Heliogabalus (Heliogabal), 1974, watercolor on paper, 11 3/4 x 15 3/4" (30 x 40 cm), Collection of Fredrik Roos, Switzerland. GavTink (talk) 19:39, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

33. Plate 18, Ways of Worldly Wisdom (Wege der Weltweisheit), 1976-77, oil, acrylic, and shellac on burlap, mounted on canvas, 120 x 196 7/8" (305 x 500 cm), Collection Sanders, Amsterdam. GavTink (talk) 19:39, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

34. Plate 19, Ways of Worldly Wisdom- Arminius's Battle (Wege der Weltweisheit-die Hermanns-Schlacht), 1978-80, woodcut, with acrylic and shellac, mounted on canvas, 126 x 196 7/8" (320 x 500 cm), The Art Institute of Chicago. GavTink (talk) 19:39, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

35. Plate 20, Stefan!, 1975, watercolor and ball point pen on paper, 8 1/16 x 11 1/4" (20.5 x 28.5 cm), Collection of Johannes Gachenang, Bern. GavTink (talk) 19:39, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

36. Anselm Kiefer, Siegfried Forgets Brunhilde (Siegfried vergisst Brunhilde), 1975, oil on canvas, 51 1/8 x 67" (130 x 170 cm), Family H. de Groot Collection, Groningen, The Netherlands. GavTink (talk) 19:39, 23 April 2019 (UTC)