Anselm Kiefer :: essays research papers

Anselm Kiefer was born in Donaueschingen, Germany on March 8, 1945. In later(prenominal) years he became one of the most prominent figures in the Neo-Expressionist art movement. He studied law at the University of Freiburg until 1966. In 1966 he became an artist and was a student of Joseph Beuys who is another German artist (Safra pg.139).In the painting March Heath Kiefer uses a variety of color. However the colors that are utilize are dark colors and earth tone color. The center of this painting is the road that vanishes into the background. It is obvious that Kiefer wanted this to be the main object of the painting. Where the road vanishes is in the center also. However Kiefer does not tell us where the road leads. At the bottom of the painting the German words Markische Heid are painted with depressed ink. The black ink causes the phrase to get the viewers attention. After reading Anselm Kiefer by Mark Rosenthal I learned that March Heath belongs to the Brandenburg region, lo cated in east Germany (Rosenthal pg.35). The Brandenburg region played a very important role to the Persian Empire during the seventeenth century. With this region being so important it was frequently fought everyplace (Rosenthal pg.35). The road looks heavily traveled because of the ruts where the grass is dead and has turned into a dirt path. Each position of the path is painted with very little detail. Yes you cease tell that it is a field and you can see some plants but it is not as easily noticed as the path. On the right expression of the path there is a group of trees, but three are only seen. Rosenthal says that the trees are birch trees, and they establish a Fontane-like context of nature resplendent, wait to be enjoyed in peaceful contemplation (Rosenthal pg 35).Another painting by Kiefer is Deutschlands Geistesbelden or in English Germanys Spiritual Heroes. He uses bi-lateral symmetry. Each side of the hallway has the same amount of support beams and a large dish fil led with some type of kerosene or oil that is burning on each beam. Under each candle there is a name written in black paint, and maybe these are the German Spiritual Heroes. The ardent dishes run all the way down the hallway and it leads to a door. The door that the hallway leads to is the center of the painting.