Since the beginning of the 1970s Anselm Kiefer has been drawing inspiration not only from the history of his birthplace, Germany, but also from the rich tradition of European mythology, which has turned out to be an endless source of creative inspiration for the artist.
Along with an interest in academic publications and a passion for astronomy, he has developed a fascination for shamanism. Since the 1990s, he has been studying the Kabala, treating it as a rich source of symbols and myths about the beginning of the world, which offer immense interpretative potential. In Kiefer’s work, elements of religious and mythological iconography meet contemporary history. Next to Günter Grass, Anselm Kiefer is said to be a voice of contemporary German consciousness.
The painting presented at the exhibition is part of a highly regarded series inspired by the work of Paul Celan (1920-1970), a Romanian poet of Jewish origin. Stretching to the distant horizon, the landscape of an empty field covered with mud and snow instantly leads the viewer beyond the visual field. The layers of paint, one applied over another, evoke the sensation of the earth’s structure. However, what makes the strongest impression is the three-dimensional appearance of the painting due to the structure of its foreground. This is where the artist has attached life-size chairs, a pile of tree branches, and a heap of human hair.
Anselm Kiefer sees “Das Haar” as a medium which can transform the viewer of this work into a witness of war – the war that echoes all around in the sprawling empty landscape and the dark, quiet sky. The three chairs are attached to the face of the painting: one with tree branches, one with a pile of hair, and in between the two – one that is empty, as if symbolically waiting for the viewer. Inviting us to take a seat, the empty chair offers a position in the center of the picture and, at the same time, in the center of history. Sitting with one’s back to the visual field, one becomes integrated into it. The viewer therefore becomes an integral part of the landscape. His involvement goes beyond passive watching; he is an active witness who must cope with the perception of the Second World War and the inevitable issue of responsibility. In this way, “Das Haar” defines the relations between the artist and the observer, between the viewer and the past, in an innovative way.
Kiefer’s work carries many meanings, including references to the heavy burden of history, for which it has become one of the most widely recognized works of the artist born in 1945 in Germany – a country that was in a deep political, economic and moral crisis. The artist belongs to the generation that entered the post-war context experiencing both amnesia and a sense of guilt. Thus, we can interpret the empty chair in his work not only as a sign of invitation but also as a serious challenge requiring moral maturity and psychological courage from all those who are about to face it. It calls us to enter this landscape of thoughts, gloomy as it is painted, and invites us to reflect on the faith of those who, though innocent, had to die a tragic death. Loneliness, sadness and historical responsibility are reflected not only in the physical form of this difficult work – they also claim the symbolic terrain of thought, a land which has its place somewhere in a timeless space created by the artist.
Anselm Kiefer’s work “Das Haar”, 2006, a painting from Grażyna Kulczyk Collection, was presented for the first time to a wider audience in Poland. While engaging in reflection on the work and its subject, our thoughts were with the victims of Auschwitz-Birkenau Death Camp in the 65th anniversary of its liberation.
