Anselm Kiefer. Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, London
Posted on December 8, 2014 by valanzo
I came full of expectations, got stroked by the sacred Art itself, and left in a glass case of emotions.
Photo courtesy Royal Academy of Arts. Photography: James Harris / © Anselm Kiefer.
By the time I steamed my enthusiasm off I started wondering what the hell happened to me in there. Then I started feeling a little slice of disappointment running into my veins, from the heart to the brain. Let's proceed one step at a time.
The solo exhibit at the Royal Academy of Arts, wonderfully organised, gave me lots of great moments, such it's poignant. 12 rooms in total, from the early works to special installations made for the Academy, an actual path to explore Kiefer the artist in a fluid flux along the building, majestic feature and background.
Hall. © Anselm Kiefer
The official website states:
"Kiefer's extraordinary body of work includes painting, sculpture and quite simply monumental installations. Uncompromising in the subject matter he tackles, Kiefer's work powerfully captures the human experience and draws on history, mythology, literature, philosophy and science."
I loved the composition in the rooms, the visitors were flooding in every possible spot, yet the dynamics between artworks and people was perfect. I also loved having the chance to check out the early works.
Early work © Anselm Kiefer
I guess it is about time to explain why I love so much Kiefer. As I already wrote, the term "poignant" could be the only meaningful explanation. To be more talkative (it's a blog, for Lord's sake!) Kiefer is a post-war German artist that worked on crucial themes such as history, religion, mythology and more. A mix of anthropology, ethnology, and more. I could keep writing stuff and ass "and more" and it would not still been enough. Kiefer is the kind of artist that never stops going a bit further with investigating the human being, its actions, its spiritual side. On a personal level his relationship God-Man is also vastly investigated, as visitors can see in his works with sunflowers and the ones with diamonds.
The use of materials is also an important part of Kiefer's production. Wood: his childhood; Seeds: religion and life; Stones and Steel: history. And more. Everything seems to have a meaning and this aspect is sometimes endearing, sometimes overwhelming.
© Anselm Kiefer
Anselm I am sorry I took some pics, it was prohibited and I learnt it only after been told off by guards!
Now, what I realised I didn't like about the exhibition, that little disappointment was the fact that 2 big topics were missing: the holocaust and more about the Bible, like the Genesis. Also the books and memory topic could have exponentially improved.
I remember a young myself visiting White Cube London some years ago, and falling in love with Palm Sunday and Aperiatur Terra by Kiefer. Oh my days, that exhibit has still a hold on me. It was everything. And more.
I didn't see anything of those topics, and my little heart cried a little, I must admit.
Courtyard © Anselm Kiefer
Anyway, I have to wrap this blog post I am writing on a Saturday evening in a nice pub of Clapham Old Town, so I am going to invite everybody in London to go visit the Royal Academy of Arts in Central London and pay the ticket for a Kiefer experience. It's worthy. And more.
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LAST WEEK TO SEE KIEFER AT RA! (it ends on Dec 14th!) https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/anselm-kiefer
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