One of the most critically acclaimed and influential artists working today, Anselm Kiefer(b1945) has played a major role in shaping the landscape of post-war German and, indeed, international art. Kiefer's vision encompasses philosophy, history, literature, politics and compelling moral issues ranging from intimate books that explore German identity to monumental public sculpture installations. Conceptually, Kiefer urges the viewer to challenge received narratives about war, identity, religion, morality, memory and history. Visually, his art is suffused with a sense of epic melancholy. His paintings exalt physical tactility, incorporating such organic matter as straw, sand and Icad, to become elemental presences. Kiefer's longstanding leitmotivs have included the earth, the stars, architecture and alchemical symhols that evoke themes of devastation, metamorphosis and renewal.
