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Tag Archives: history and art

Concrete constructions: La Ribaute, the ‘studio place’ of artist Anselm Kiefer

11 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by meappropriatestyle in architecture, avant garde, design inspiration, design philosophy, inspiration

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

abstract art, abstract design, Anselm Kiefer, architectural designs, architecture, Barjac - France, concrete constructions, history and art, La Ribaute, studio complex

Historical referencing plays an integral role in the work

of German artist Anselm Kiefer; more pointedly the ‘starring role’.

History is intimately entwined in his creations.  It is the foundation,

the essence of the what he hopes to communicate.

Kiefer seems intrigued with the idea of history as a means

for discovery and uncovering:  of self, of the past, of the possibilities.

 

…

 

Even as a child, he seemed taken with the idea of preserving the

past, a history, to be later discovered/ uncovered

for critical review and revision.

 

…

 

“I would dig tunnels in the garden, put drawings in them and bury them.

You can see this at Barjac on a bigger scale.”

Anselm Kiefer

(quote from the telegraph.co.uk)

…

 

Barjac is a Renaissance town in southern France

It is the location of the Anselm Kiefer’s studio complex-

La Ribaute

…

The idea of discovering/uncovering and then creating beauty and function from

debris and ruin is manifested in the style and construction of La Ribaute,

Kiefer’s elaborate 200 acre studio complex situated

near the historic town of Barjac, France.

True to Kiefer’s method of creating things in grand proportions

La Ribaute is a more than simply a work space.

It is an incredible work place:   leaning towers of stacked concrete blocks,

multiple barns, an impressive greenhouse storage structure,

outer building structures and ‘things’ just lying about.

…

(image from coveringmedia.com):

anselm kiefer, La Ribaute, studio complex

Sweeping view of La Ribaute

…

The complex looks as one would expect of Kiefer:

a construction from destruction,

a strange juxtaposition of chaos and order,

a weird and compelling beauty

a mix of past and present:

the past in form-  reminiscent of ruins, fragments from antiquity

the present in materials-  concrete, metal

…

“When you have ruins you can start again.”

Anselm Kiefer

…

La Ribaute:  the complex

The grounds

(image from telegraph.co.uk):

anselm kiefer, studio complex, grounds

…

(image from the guardian):

anselm kiefer, stuido, buildings

 

Interior spaces

(image from maisonanila.com):

anselm kiefer, studio complex, interior

…

(image from arcspace.com):

anselm kiefer, studio interior

…

The greenhouse

(image from phaidon.com):

anselm kiefer, studio, greenshouse

…

(from sz-magazine.com):

  anselm kiefer, studio, greenshouse

…

(image from theguardian.com):

Anselm Kiefer

…

Things just lying about

(image from thetimes.co.uk):

anselm kiefer, studio, plane

…

(image from telegraph.co.uk):

anselm kiefer, studio complex, things lying about

…

 

 

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“The only method to be not in the world, but outside of the world is to be an artist”: the genius of Anselm Kiefer at the Royal Academy of Arts – London

09 Thursday Oct 2014

Posted by meappropriatestyle in abstract art, art history notes, art installation, avant garde, design inventive, exhibitions, inspiration

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

abstract art, Anselm Kiefer, art - use of varied materials, art exhibition, art exhibitions - 2014, expressionist art, history and art, installation art, Royal Academy of Arts

Abstract artist:  the painter and sculptor

Anselm Kiefer was born in Donaueschingen, Germany 1945-

the year World War II finally ended.

He was raised in a war- torn, war – ravaged country,

surrounded by rumble, debris, chaos and destruction:

remnants of the aftermath of war.

On his childhood, he once said in interview:

“I would build little houses with bricks from bombed buildings.”

(telegraph.co.uk)

 

…

(image from zimbio.com):

anselm kiefer, photo

Anselm Kiefer

…

This environment of ruin, left an indelible mark

which would later translate into the language of his art work.

 

…

(images from saatchigallery.com):

anselm kiefer, maikafer flieg

Maikafer flieg, 1974

…

anselm kiefer, painting, wolundlied, 1982

 Wolundlied, 1982

…

(image from grandpalais-fr):

anselm kiefer, installation grand palais paris, 2007

Monumenta

Installation art at the Grand Palais (Paris), 2007

…

(image from guggenheim-bilboa.es):

anselm kiefer, sunflowers, 1996

Sunflowers, 1996

…

Kiefer’s creations seek to interpret his perception of

of history, mythology and poetry as modifiers

of the human experience.

His body of work addresses the personal:

the destroyed physical surroundings of his childhood town

and the collective:  the sum of a culture seemingly consigned

to definition by a single, evil element-

Nazi usurpation of the German identity.

Elements of Kiefer’s art seek to reclaim the German artistic output

from Nazi association.

 

…

(image from tate.org):

anselm kiefer, man under a pyramid, 1999

Man Under a Pyramid, 1999

…

(image from royalacademy.org):

anselm kiefer, painting, order of the night, 1996

Order of the Night, 1996

…

Executed on a grand scale in attitude and actual proportions, his pieces

be it painting, sculpture, installation are emotive, psychological, arresting,

disturbing and dark.   He uses a variety of materials:  sand, straw, lead,

boulders, newspapers, photographers, photo reels, books, paper

and whatever else is at hand.

This appears poignantly reminiscent of the boy Anselm,

who built “little houses” from salvaged bits of wreckage.

 

…

(images from royalacademy.org):

anselm kiefer, painiting, interior, 1981

Interior, 1981

…

anselm kiefer, painting, nothung, 1973

Nothung, 1973

…

Kiefer finds inspiration not only from his personal childhood recollections

and grievous moments of German history, but also he is influenced by

a profound interest in the cosmos and humankind’s place in it.

The writings of his favourite poets too find expression in his art.

His thick application of paint to canvas is akin to Impressionists artists,

in particular Vincent Van Gogh, whom Kiefer greatly admired.

…

(image from royalacademy.org):

anselm kiefer, black flakes, 2006

Black Flakes, 2006

…

Though Kiefer’s art seems at first glance an assortment of

the dark and gloomy and more of the same,

there is a sense of a sentiment of rebirth.

There is this architectural element to his pieces;

a layering, a building, a stacking.

There is a feeling that from destruction there is construction:

that there exists a possibility of new beginnings,

that there is always a glimmer of hope,

however faint.

…

anselm kiefer, sprache der vogel, entrance to exhibit, RAA 2014

Sprache der Vogel

Located in the foyer of the exhibition space

Royal Academy of Arts, 2014

…

anselm kiefer, installart art, RAA 2014

Ages of the World

Installation art, Royal Academy of Art, 2014

…

The Royal Academy of Art presents

Anselm Kiefer

until 14 December 2014

…

 

The exhibition boasts two works of

installation, created in situ by the artist.

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