Thesis: Anselm Kiefer and the Alchemy of Art

[Paul Ferguson]

"The thesis explores the work of the contemporary German artist Anselm Kiefer. He has in the past, attracted criticism in Germany because of his insistence on confronting the subject of the Second World War but is as well known for his frequent allusion to Alchemy and the mystical Qabbālāh and Merkaba. The nature of these arcane arts or sciences is briefly examined as well as their relationship to modern science and also to ancient spiritual practices in addition to Jungian psychotherapy. Kiefer’s connection with the artists Peter Dreher and Joseph Beuys is also considered. The unusual scope and scale of his work and his use of unconventional materials seem to provoke questions about his image as a modern alchemist and also what it may mean to practice Art or indeed Alchemy in the twenty-first century."

By Edwin Cridland.

https://www.academia.edu/11468448/Anselm...emy_of_Art