Anselm Kiefer [Hardcover]

Daniel Arasse (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2001

German artist Anselm Kiefer (b. 1945) is one of the most important and controversial artists of the 20th century. From the time of his appearance at the 1980 Venice Biennale, through such diverse mediums as painting, photography, artist's books, installations, and sculpture, he has interpreted the great political and cultural issues at the heart of the modern European sensibility: the connections among memory, history, and mythology; war; the Holocaust; and ethnic and national identity. His lyrical explorations of "Germanness" have prompted heated debate.

In this extensively illustrated volume-the first complete survey of his work-Daniel Arasse analyzes Kiefer's education, influences, philosophy, and art. Organized both chronologically and according to the artist's recurrent motifs, the book's approximately 250 full-color images trace Kiefer's creative evolution, and present his great themes in their full scope and power.
250 illustrations in full color, 320 pages, 125/8 x 133/4"

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Writing about one of the most important and complex artists of our times requires the erudition, clarity, and broad view of a Daniel Arasse, author of the gorgeously illustrated Anselm Kiefer. Avoiding a straightforward chronological survey, Arasse plunges directly into Kiefer's major themes and the ways they reflect the artist's subtly evolving perspectives on German history, the role of the artist, and the meaning of life. Arasse illuminates Kiefer's use of Jewish kabbalistic symbolism, his relationship to philosophers and writers from Nietzsche to Celan, and the rich trove of metaphor to be found in his use of lead, straw, books, and images of railroad tracks and artists' palettes. Never succumbing to art-speak, Arasse--whose French text has been deftly translated into English--marshals his arguments with lucid elegance. The approximately 400 full-color plates, including full views and close-ups, are magnificent. This is surely one of the major art books of our time. --Cathy Curtis

From Booklist

Controversy has accompanied German artist Kiefer ever since his debut at the 1980 Venice Biennale, and now his challenging, wildly expressive, and theatrical paintings, sculptures, and installations receive all the space, high-quality reproductions, and fluent interpretation they demand in this superb, groundbreaking volume. Arasse begins by discussing the complexity of Kiefer's themes and iconography, noting that, taken as a whole, his work evinces a "labyrinthine quality," and addresses "the question of whether, and to what extent, it was possible to be a 'German artist' after the Holocaust and the appropriation of that country's national artistic and cultural traditions by the Third Reich." It isn't easy to grasp all that Kiefer is up to in his disturbingly ambiguous inquiry into Nazi imagery, blending of myth and history, depictions of scorched and blasted landscapes and buildings, and use of books as objects, so readers will greatly appreciate Arasse's lucidity, energetic intellectual engagement, and forthrightness in discussing the ethical problems and philosophical conundrums posed by Kiefer's undeniably powerful creations. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 327 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams; First Edition edition (October 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810903849
• ISBN-13: 978-0810903845
• Product Dimensions: 12.5 x 10 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,421,440 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The pictures do the talking, May 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Anselm Kiefer (Venezia Contemporaneo) (Paperback)

This is a beautiful book which covers some of Kiefer's best work in painting as well as his photo-montage and book making activities. A small and eloquent tribute and forward leave adequate room for many full color reproductions (some double-paged) of paintings, large black and white photos taken by the artist, photos of installations and performances and reproductions of selections from his book makings. The reproductions are bright and clear and attempt to give you an adequate view of the texture and matter that Kiefer paints with. Kiefer is one of the most prodigious and poetic artists of our time. He stands out individually in our present, sometimes cynical art atmosphere in the age of post-modern theory. These are magical paintings that contain deep myth and meaning. A truly beautiful book on beautiful and revealing art that can change your view of the world.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For the illustrations alone, September 20, 2007

By 

Geoffrey P. Smith "opusposthum" (ATLANTA, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Anselm Kiefer (Hardcover)

An extraordinary tome, with a scale befitting the artist, his ambition and the size of his works. The reproductions are excellent, and many are necessarily spread over two pages without diminishing one's viewing pleasure. Size and fragility preclude many of Kiefer's works appearing in retrospectives, so it is remarkable that this particular overview includes a tremendous array of his unique works of art. I hesitate to use the word 'paintings', simply because Kiefer's current endeavors include a variety of materials with paint being only one component.

The text consists of a number of enlightening interviews with the artist over the years. All provide insight into the work itself and the man who makes it. For detailed analysis of the art, Daniel Arasse's monograph is a better bet. Kiefer's output is prodigious, and from year to year it is difficult for those interested to keep pace with the new work, so any and all books about this artist are welcome additions to one's library. I heartily recommend this recent addition to the catalogue. Mind you bend at the knees before lifting, and handle with care....!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Paper back edition inferior, March 7, 2010

By 

mar "An Irish girl" (Spain) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Anselm Kiefer (Venezia Contemporaneo) (Paperback)

I saw this book in the hard back edition in a shop and came to Amazon to buy it. Whilst trying to purchase the hardback version the system automatically took me to the paper back edition which I bought thinking it was teh same book with an updated cover but in softback. Big mistake. It is inferior to the hard back edition as it has not got many of the images I really wanted. Looking more closely later I saw it has about 100 less pages. Don't be fooled into buying the paper back edition I was very disappointed.