Anselm Keifer

I managed to get to the exhibition, ‘Anselm Keifer - Finnegans Wake’ on its penultimate day at White Cube, Burmodsey, I was so glad to have seen it. I have loved Keifers work for years and it was a phenomenal exhibition. The show was a collection of new paintings, sculptures and installations in response to James Joyces novel, Finnegans Wake, from 1939.

Now, I have not read the book but I understand it to be a tricky read. A kind of stream of consciousness that contains thoughts, histories and echoes from various languages and cultures all intermingled. In all honesty, I fear that if I tried to read it, I would end up so frustrated in not understanding it that I’d implode! So, I decided to not try to understand any particular narrative while viewing the work but to just experience it.

You entered into a long dark corridor of floor to ceiling racking which contained installations and writings. It felt like looking into the corners and far reaches of Keifers brain. Due to the lighting and the height, this storeroom installation gave glimpses of things that could just be made out, like in a dream. It was difficult to photograph well because of the low light. Below shows similar racking installations but from a lighter gallery.

The exhibition featured many of the motifs and themes that Anselm Keifer has used in the past. Books made of lead, piles of rubble, huge skeletal sunflowers and snakes but it did not feel old. On the contrary, there were so many ‘wow’ moments. The sheer scale of his work is breathtaking.

Anselm Keifer is an absolute master of his materials, making art that is full of meaning and that really makes you think. I recently also saw the film ‘Anselm’ by director Wim Wenders which is a wonderful portrait of the artist. It is a cinematic experience of his work which was shot in 3D - I didn’t see the 3D version but it is a beautiful film which I thoroughly recommend if you can catch it anywhere. From both the exhibition and the film, my husband and I were talking about the work, the man and ideas for ages afterwards - always a good sign.

I now think I need a studio large enough to cycle around while I contemplate my work like Anselm has, and that I’d love to visit La Ribaute which is a 40 hectare site in the south of France in which Keifer has built monumental installations for a immersive experience. You get a look at it in the film, but to go would be something else, I’m sure.