History of Our World

Himmel-Herde | Anselm Kiefer

Posted in Art, Object by B on December 9, 2010

Die Überschwemmung Heidelbergs I, 1969

Die Überschwemmung Heidelbergs I, 1969

Die Überschwemmung Heidelbergs I, 1969

Die Überschwemmung Heidelbergs I, 1969

Die Himmel, 1969

Die Himmel, 1969

Ausbrennen des Landkreises Buchen, 1974

Ausbrennen des Landkreises Buchen, 1974

Ausbrennen des Landkreises Buchen, 1974

Ausbrennen des Landkreises Buchen, 1974

Ausbrennen des Landkreises Buchen, 1974

Ausbrennen des Landkreises Buchen, 1974

Ausbrennen des Landkreises Buchen, 1974

Martin Heidegger, 1976

Martin Heidegger, 1976

Martin Heidegger, 1976

Siegfried’s Difficult Way to Brunhilde, 1977

Siegfried’s Difficult Way to Brunhilde, 1977

Siegfried’s Difficult Way to Brunhilde, 1977

Siegfried’s Difficult Way to Brunhilde, 1977


When, in order to adapt to his destiny as an artist, Anselm Kiefer attempts to throw himself open to a dimension larger than himself, he does not retreat in the face of a force that may overwhelm and daunt him. He allows himself to be possessed and swept away by it, to become the arbiter of a challenge which ultimately implies the construction of the formal energy of art. To let ourselves be overwhelmed means to agree to be impregnated and to mediate that which submerges and overtakes us: to discover ourselves in order to discover. The artist, like the poet, eludes any system, whether good or bad, religious or moral: he negates himself, dies in favour of an unknown and indefinable force, and aspires to establish the right relationship with forms and their origins. He wants to succumb to their primacy and lets himself be shattered and overwhelmed not for any banal or general reason, whether it be ideological or sociological, anonymous or impersonal, but only for one exceptional reason: the survival of the language of art.*

*The Destiny of Art: Anselm Kiefer by Germano Celant.

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Himmel-Herde : Anselm Kiefer

Massimo Cacciari : Germano Celant : Gabriele Nason : Emanuela Belloni

Edizioni Charta

1997

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Anselm Kiefer

Edizioni Charta

B

8 Responses

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  1. Wombatz said, on December 9, 2010 at 10:10

    I’m somewhat on the fence about Kiefer, but, wow, these books look great, especially Die Himmel and Ausbrennen des Landkreises Buchen. Is there a complete set of images in the Charta edition you link to?

    • B said, on December 9, 2010 at 23:03

      Yes, the book in question includes the complete set of images for each of the works we’ve touched on plus a comprehensive overview of his paintings, collages, photographs and other works in book form. It’s a beautiful publication, and well worth acquiring.

  2. THE ARTIST ELUDES ANY SYSTEM | HTMLGIANT said, on December 9, 2010 at 20:35

    […] in order to adapt to his destiny as an artist, Anselm Kiefer attempts to throw himself open to a dimension larger than himself, he does not retreat in the face […]

  3. Terresa Wellborn said, on December 9, 2010 at 23:46

    In awe, simply awe.

  4. naida said, on January 27, 2011 at 22:39

    this is a very peculiar blog, i like it a lot.

    thanks for the anselm works, especially “the flood in heidelberg” series.

  5. Arnold McBay said, on February 16, 2011 at 01:18

    I’ve never been on the fence with Kiefer, especially since seeing his show at the Palais in Paris. The more of the books I see the more amazed I am at the breadth of his work. Humbling and powerful stuff.

    Do you have any more photos of the book works?

  6. […] Du kan hitta mer här. { no comment } :| { Tags: Anselm Kiefer […]

  7. Anselm Kiefer, o istorie « Bookaholic said, on December 21, 2012 at 13:36

    […] Surse foto: guardian.co.uk, artsales.com, historyofourworld.wordpress.com, myspace.com, […]


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