Visitors to the St. Louis Art Museum are now greeted by an extraordinary sight: five massive 30-foot-tall paintings by renowned German-born artist Anselm Kiefer that dominate the museum's entrance hall. The monumental works are part of a groundbreaking exhibition titled "Anselm Kiefer: Becoming the Sea," which opened last month and represents the first comprehensive American survey of Kiefer's work in two decades.
Kiefer has built his reputation over six decades through creating massive paintings that incorporate diverse textures and sculptural techniques to produce vast, abstract landscapes. His unique artistic approach transforms canvas into immersive environments that challenge traditional boundaries between painting and sculpture. The current exhibition showcases this distinctive style that has made him one of the most significant contemporary artists working today.
Museum Director Min Jung Kim, who personally curated the exhibition, revealed that Kiefer drew inspiration from both the Mississippi and Rhine rivers when creating these particular pieces. "He was thinking about this experience, this memory of traveling the Mississippi River in 1991," Kim explained. "Even though it was more than 30 years ago, he had these vivid memories of the Mississippi [and] its sheer force, its scale, its vitality – much of which is captured in these monumental paintings."
The connection between Kiefer and the St. Louis Art Museum spans several decades, ultimately leading to this major exhibition. Kim discussed both Kiefer's extensive 60-year career and the long-standing relationship between the artist and the museum during an interview on "St. Louis on the Air." She also provided unique insights from her personal conversations with Kiefer, offering visitors a deeper understanding of the techniques behind his large-scale paintings.
Kiefer's artistic process involves deliberate destruction and renewal, a philosophy he articulated in a July interview with the BBC podcast "This Cultural Life." "For me, ruins are the beginning of something new," Kiefer explained. "I destroy my paintings all the time. I put them out in the weather. I put them in the snow. I burn them. I do all kinds of things to ruin them. And then they get up again. Resurrection." This approach reflects his belief that beauty emerges from destruction and decay.
The exhibition represents a significant cultural event for St. Louis, bringing international attention to the city's art scene while offering local audiences access to world-class contemporary art. Museum visitors can experience the full impact of Kiefer's artistic vision through these towering works that transform the museum space into an immersive environment exploring themes of memory, nature, and renewal.
