Timothy D Martin, “Anselm Kiefer” Third

Text, No. 38 (Spring), 1997, pp.104-107. ISSN

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Reading about Kiefer's older work, especially

from the period of 1975 to 1990, was to encounter
certain adjectives such as sombre, epic, organic
impasto, tragic, reflective, critical, urgent with a
truth in painting and a history that mustn't be
forgotten. His work churned with post-fascist
intuitions about collective guilt, individual
responsibility and the perils of ideological
manipulation of the German romantic tradition.
They also seemed to pose a new postmodern
sublime warning. Against the grandeur and epic
adventure of Nazi romanticisations of war, he
placed the brutal historical results. He evoked a
tragic sublime out of the history of twentieth
century Germany, beginning with the Second
World War, through to Auschwitz and on to the
ever present possibility of an exchange of atomic
warheads over a divided country. This new
postmodern sublime seemed compelling in its use
of historical evidence to refute modernist
positivism, audacious in its abandonment of
abstract painting and courageous in its consid-
eration of Cold War anxieties.
As Kiefer's rise paralleled that of postmod-
ernism it still seems possible to read his work in
those terms. This might include the way he used
the heritage of romantic, expressionist, and indeed
fascist imagery to deconstruct them from within.
Much like the photography of Levine, Sherman
and Kruger, Kiefer took an existing style and
medium in order to demonstrate its ideological
underpinnings, its quality in a play of relational
meanings, and the often absurd or terrible
consequences which ensued when ideology games
get out of hand. If his paintings seemed to
appropriate ironically images from German history
and achievement, it was in order to leave open the
question of the genealogy of fascism.
While his reputation as a moral conscience in
the German avant-garde grew through the 1980s,
so too did misunderstandings lessen, and the
work finally proved quite resonant to Liberals and
Christian Democrats in most NATO countries.
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Anselm Kiefer, Die Sechste Posaune (The Sixth Trumpet Call), 1996, emulsion, acrylic, shellac and sunflower seeds on
canvas, 520 x 560 cm. Photo: John Mason

Kiefer's rise to fame at the time was a sort of proof Perl), doubts about the irony Kiefer displayed for
positive to the rest of the art world of the sophis- the cliches and kitsch of Nazi imagery, doubts
tication and moral intelligence of German cultural about 'fascinating fascism' (Susan Sontag's
politics. Swayed at the time, I remember the phrase) and rumblings about a Heideggerian
Kiefer phenomenon, convincing because it 'complicity'. Nevertheless, along with Beuys and
presented in stark terms a basic moral narrative Richter, Kiefer took up the challenge of a post-
intended to avoid a third world war. With such fascist morality, and perhaps one of the greatest
pragmatism in mind, it seemed inappropriate successes was his 1985 trip to Israel. In a difficult
then to deconstruct the religious elements of his moral condition he created paintings based on the
work, especially since he already went a consid- Exodus in order to give it meaning for his own
erable way to a sceptical reinterpretation of fascist wish to be free of historical guilt. In defining a
culture. positive identity through a reflection upon
This is not to say, though, that there were not another cultural mythology, he promised a
doubts about the visual beauty of the work compelling negotiation of a shared identity where
belittling the profundity of the Holocaust (Jed there had previously been such atrocities. Perhaps
106

the overflow of this visit, the residual problematic, painting in the early 1990s. After a three year
was the noticeable increase in what I might call hiatus, "like a life begun anew", he then produced
'mythological intensities', and the decline of a work which is described as an ahistorical inner
restraining irony about all myths. He seemed to space of the self, and a return to the mystery
be providing teleology as a balm in conditions which so often inflected modernist expres-
which would understandably have been neurosis- sionisms, both figurative and abstract.' The
making at times. Another view was that it is change to a more personal and less historically
possible to achieve a state of 'grace' through oriented interest is somewhat a matter of pleasure
artistic immediacy and presence and to produce a - taken as a rushing into a lack - which is
healing art which explored the powers of the genuinely moving when the frame is set at a
artist-as-holy-man. cosmological scale. In this Kiefer has not lost a
Back in the early 1980swhen his work began to certain mastery of the Beautiful Sublime. The new
be seen in Britain, mostly at the Anthony d'Offay work treats so heavily of what might be called
Gallery, this country was increasingly impressed 'Dasein' after Heidegger, or simply 'a universal
with its Femme de fer. The adjectives then were Being which unites all men' that he seems to be
those of greatness, hints of Empire, of Victorian reversing his position and claiming some of the
values, and a heroic re-conquest of public very same rhetorical gestures so criticised in
properties. Powerful economic forces were to fascism. Such a reversal tends to leave open the
reinvigorate and make a new and more sound possibility that, with the reunification of
nation. Such ideologically driven certainties gave Germany, these paintings are not reflections on
great courage and determination to some. It was history so much as they are ideological positions
all meant to be so epic. in this current historical context. Maybe, with the
For some, to look at Kiefer at this time was to fall of the wall, Kiefer has left a post-fascist cold
see a muted celebration of the greatness and war stage and re-entered as a rhetorical agent of
heroism so proffered at the time. The grandeur of the present policy objective of being united again.
the spaces, the sense of peril and risk made the Alternatively, perhaps during the hiatus Kiefer
work very resonant. In the art schools of the time was looking for a way to continue the sublime
a little spawning could be seen of young painters, note even after his subject matter had historically
as hopeful as any, who took to Kiefer's work as escaped him with the end of the cold war.
the basis of a language which could laud what can Regardless of whether he is addressing the
only be described as the Age of Thatcher. It was internal tensions of reunification, he has certainly
the peculiar function of the British art schools at gone looking for his new subject while travelling
that time, and the particular strength of Kiefer's abroad. And yet, after Israel this has not led the
work, that this little spawn was dealt with. These work to Bosnia but to Bombay. His search for a
young painters were reminded that Kiefer came to pan-theological macrocosmic schema has, in
warn against the grandeur of Nazi images, and the specific, incorporated yogic practice and theology,
deceptions of an abused romanticism. Once Aztec, Mayan, ancient Egyptian religion and even
pointed out, Kiefer's message was just too self- the 'heretical' Catholicisms of European
evident to dispute, and wherever such miscon- Mannerism. I suppose he finds here many of the
strued admirations erupted, they were 'put right' same ontic urges of destruction, especially in
in an act of quiet aesthetic policing. Aztec ceremonies of human sacrifice and Hindu
Now with all this said, it would be interesting narratives, as in German fascism, and in this he
to speculate on the reception here in London for has a point. But, when Kiefer shows himself lying
Kiefer's new work. I say 'new' because, in the last down amongst giant sunflowers to be
several years, there has been a substantial shift in overwhelmed by a stillness which bespeaks of
content which is not paralleled by an obvious both a creative and a destructive cosmic force, this
change in form. This is in itself rather striking supine pose does not suggest a self-reflection so
because it is not clear where the search for much as a repressed motive. I could see, for
historical and moral integrity is going. The same example, psychoanalysis providing as thoughtful
general look, the large scale, the use of materials, a reflection on human sadistic pleasure and the
collage and photography remain formally in the death wish. His choice is to find such forces of
new work. It was perhaps doubly difficult creation and destruction finally in nature. In a
therefore not to bring to this show some of the old recent book, for example he shows the city of
expectations and criteria. Fesaia eroding and silting, suggesting the 19th
In accounting for this change in the new work, century sublime of the ruin. Unlike the old work,
Thomas McEvilley's catalogue essay indicates grass and erosion, rather than the Panzer or the
Kiefer's sudden and complete abandonment of ICBM, are once again the mythic agents of un-
 107

Being. as clutter in the broad historical scope of the old

If, as Thomas McEvilley has pointed out, Kiefer work, with such a major appearance of personal
has quit speaking as a 'German' and has also content in the new work it might now be due for
remained reticent of his own subconscious an appearance.
motives, I would argue that he has started In returning to a certain universalising and a
speaking not so much as an 'individual', but as a quest for purity at a time when it is also so evident
high modernist 'everyman'. What is surprising, that impure and divers situations are the most
though, is how limited an encounter with other promising, he runs strongly against the current
cultures this everyman tends to have. I would grain. I would argue that the current cultural
worry that his ventures are decided on their milieu is admirable in that many can now more
appropriateness as a note in the universalising easily identify with a variety of communities and
harmonies which the artist seeks. While real enjoy a certain freedom by not being marginalised
Indians are invisible, what can be seen are a into anyone of them. In this respect Kiefer's new
sequence of unironic and uncontextualised work could seem an asset, both for his escape
Hindu-based myths. Perhaps this is most clear in from a strictly 'German' identity and for his
the keynote paintings entitled I Hold All lndias in empathetic responses to a range of world cultures
my Hand. Here the artist stands in the middle of and histories in defining a wider identity. But I
the universe, encircled by maps of the peripheral also think that most of these varied identities,
regions of the earth (generically called Indias) even within a single person, come into moral
where wisdom might still be found, all floating in conflicts which, it seems, can only be assessed
an infinite envelope of dual forces such as specifically and particularly. To promote such
fire/water and light/dark. Although he may be broad self-identity without such a register of
quoting the 16th century Mannerist poet 'mundane' conflict is to give only the rosy view,
Francesco de Quevedo's evocation of a "great and a small fraction of the picture of negotiating
empire enclosed by love", it is still a title which these conflicts. This is the historical condition
also suggests, among others, the hegemonic as which now seems to be most promising. As there
much as the harmonic. I would worry that, in appears to be very little of this in the new work, it
ignoring this irony and in staking so much on the may be some time yet before its view may be
theme of an eternally conflicted 'Dasein', he also widely valued.
runs the danger of creating a rationale for
suffering and destruction that might quite easily Thomas McEvilley, Communion and Transcendence in Kiefer'S
be reconciled to all manner of future injustice. It is New Work, Anthony d'Offay Gallery, London, 1996.
just too easy to adapt this new work to an
understanding. of individuals as mere cosmic
agents who bear no moral responsibility or 'I Hold all Indias in my Hand', paintings by Anselm
subtlety of motivation. Kiefer, was at the South London Gallery, 4th
In this respect, then, the new paintings, despite December, 1996, to 9th February, 1997. The Anthony
his travels, are not really a space for a d'OfTay Gallery in London also had an exhibition of
multicultural exchange. Instead, they are an Kiefer's work from 4th December, 1996, to 15th
autobiographical journey carried out against the February, 1997.
rather chance backdrop of what might be called
'the wisdom of the pre-Roman ancients' which is
still to be found in the non-industrialised margins
of Third World countries. Although he may still
be a formal master, the timbre of his self-reflection
through archaic and 'oriental' mythologies, the
insistent universalising, the use of rather
stereotyped and nostalgic religious archetypes
and symbolism, seem too forced and concocted
for either his unchanged style or an audience
attuned now to the more plausible claims of
difference and multiplicity. For example, the
quality of his experiences in India, which were
infinitely particular and historically bound, might
have been more evident in the work. While the
exclusion of the artist as a psychological being
with certain subconscious goals seemed justified