Landscape with Wing (Translation)
Landschaft mit Flugel (Primary Title)
Anselm Kiefer, German, born 1945 (Artist)
“I work with symbols that link our consciousness with the past. The symbols create a kind of simultaneous continuity, and we recollect our origins.” —Anselm Kiefer
Kiefer’s paintings use historical and mythological themes to explore his country’s past, aligning him with the Neo-Expressionists—a group of artists, particularly some from Germany and Italy, active during the 1980s, whose works references culture and history.
Kiefer’s immense desolate landscapes, made from such unorthodox materials as tar and straw, allude to centuries of conflict and devastation on German soil. The large object dominating this canvas refers to the Icelandic myth of Wayland, a crippled and imprisoned metalsmith who escaped on wings he made himself. Although this version is made of lead, such wings often symbolize redemption in Kiefer’s art.
Mary Boone Gallery, New York, NY, 1982
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