Anselm Keifer
Keifer’s images are related to historical horrors such as the holocaust and myth. He uses famous historical figures names and “signatures” in his images. He has been said to be a New Symbolist. ref:https://theartstack.com/artist/anselm-kiefer/das-wolund-lied-wayland-s-song
ref: Parsifal 1973 ref:http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/kiefer-parsifal-i-t03403
Based on the opera by Wagner which tells of a romance based on the Holy Grail. the dark brown, black and white image of the artist’s studio forms the basis for the painting whose perspective takes us along a large area of knotted wooden floor towards a far wall in which there is a blue grey window surrounded by wooden beams from floor to ceiling. In front of this window stands a baby’s cot whose light reflection does not seem to comply with the light from the window. between our eye and the cot the dark floor boards shine with white lines of the light from the window. The image represents the birth of Parsifal, both in the painting of the cot and the artist’s studio where birth represents the development of ideas. ref:as above. The image is harsh and austere with tonal contrasts and no soft colours. The cot looks exceptionally alone without the warmth and protection that a baby would need. The image is painted in oil on paper.
Sülamith 1983 Oil, emulsion, woodcut, shellac and straw on canvas ref:http://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/artpages/anselm_kiefer_6.htm Another dark image with imposing perspective in which a crypt with low dark ceiling and arching vaults produce a feeling of depression and enclosure. The grey stone floor reaches to the distance in the lower 7th or 8th of the image leading beneath a low arch where there may be an altar. The walls are dark browns with black shadows particularly in the foreground, the brown stones delineated by white lines. Again I have no liking of this image because of its stark, dark coldness.
Das Wölund-Lied [Wayland’s Song] 1982 Oil, emulsion, straw, photograph on canvas with lead wing ref:http://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/artpages/anselm_kiefer_7.htm This dark brown black image with perspective lines running from the foreground and disappearing into the left upper corner of the canvas. This seems to be a ploughed field, made from straw with black white and orchre paint. A patch of ? sky is black in the upper right corner and blends into a grey above the vanishing point of the field’s perspective. Impressed upon this perspective image is a grey form which looks like the wing of a bird but has spidery legs emanating from its edges. The title of the picture implies that this is made from lead.
Ikarus – märkischer Sand [Icarus – Sand of the Brandenburg March] 1981 Oil, emulsion, shellac, sand and photograph on canvas ref: http://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/artpages/anselm_kiefer_8.htm
A very similar image to Wayland’s song. Swirling perspective from the left lower part of the canvas to the upper right, muddy brown lines demarcated by patches of black lead to contrasting black and white horizon which gives a feeling of light shinnning through the structure in the upper centre anf left of the canvas, which is once again reminiscent of a bird’s wing in black, with spread feathers. In the left foreground are patches of white and the left side of the image has a patch of white lines which run at ninety degrees to the horizon. The name of the painting is marked on the swirling brown area in the right foregound.
playing with creativity 