Curator Q&A: Anselm Kiefer: Becoming the Sea

Since the late 1960s, Anselm Kiefer has made art exploring the depths of human history. Min Jung Kim, the Museum’s Barbara B. Taylor Director and the exhibition curator, answers questions about Anselm Kiefer: Becoming the Sea, the German artist’s first major American museum exhibition in 20 years.

What is the significance of water in the exhibition?

Water is really the thread that runs through the whole exhibition. For Kiefer, rivers and seas aren’t just part of the landscape—they’re metaphors for memory, transformation, and the passage of time. Whether he’s painting the Rhine or the Mississippi, water becomes a way to reflect on history, identity, and the cycles that shape both the individual and the collective. 

How is the evolution of Kiefer’s practice visible in the exhibition?

Kiefer is constantly evolving. In fact, “everything flows”—a quote from the Greek philosopher Heraclitus—was an early working title for the show. His art doesn’t follow a straight path toward refinement; it’s about constant change, experimentation, and rediscovery. In Becoming the Sea, this is visible in both his materials and his themes. The Mississippi River and its connection to St. Louis inspired a whole new body of work. He also continues to find innovative ways to work with lead—some of the new paintings feature this incredible blue-green surface created from sediment through a process called electrolysis. It’s beautiful and a perfect example of how he continues to reinvent both his language and materials. 

How do portraits factor into Kiefer’s practice?

That’s a great question, because when most people think of Kiefer, they picture landscapes. But the human figure is actually everywhere in this exhibition and in many forms. You see woodcut portraits of historical figures—both admired and controversial—that have shaped his thinking. His Women of Antiquity sculptures are symbolic portraits of women from classical history. His newest works revisit self-portraits he made decades ago, creating a dialogue with his younger self. And some of the most poignant figures are the female water spirits who emerge from rivers and seem to protect the landscapes around them. I think visitors will come away with a deeper appreciation for how central the figure is in Kiefer’s work.

What are some repeating themes in Kiefer’s work?

Rivers are definitely the anchor of this exhibition—and one of Kiefer’s earliest and most persistent themes. The Rhine, especially, recurs so often that it feels like a character in his work. But there are others: fields, stars, ruined architecture, mythological figures, and writers he admires, especially the poet Paul Celan. He also confronts German history, particularly the Nazi era, with unflinching honesty. There’s so much symbolism in his work, but you don’t need to decode it all. The material and imagery are powerful enough to speak directly to the viewer. 

What role does materiality play in Kiefer’s practice?

Materials are everything in Kiefer’s work. They’re not just what he paints with—they carry meaning. He’s worked with lead for decades, but he also uses gold leaf, clay, straw, dried flowers, burnt books, broken glass . . . the list goes on. Some materials reference alchemy, some reference the sacred, and others come from the natural world. What’s remarkable is how he combines them into layered, textured surfaces that feel as much like physical environments as artworks. The result is a deeply tactile, emotionally resonant experience.

What is Kiefer’s significance in the broader art world?

That’s hard to answer briefly, but I think what sets Kiefer apart is the completeness of his vision. He doesn’t just make paintings—he creates entire worlds. There’s a German word, Gesamtkunstwerk, meaning “total work of art,” often used to describe Wagner’s operas. Kiefer’s work is like that. Walking into his exhibitions is like entering a different universe, built from the fragments of our own. Few artists offer that kind of depth and immersion. 

Where did the idea for the exhibition originate?

I’ve admired Kiefer’s work for years, and when I first came to SLAM, I became inspired by the Museum’s history of collecting German art, including early Kiefer works from the 1980s and ’90s. I invited Kiefer to St. Louis in 2023 to discuss an exhibition at SLAM. He immediately began imagining new paintings for Sculpture Hall, recalling memories from his 1991 visit to the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers north of St. Louis. This city’s unique location is truly a core piece of the exhibition and what makes it so special for our Museum. 

What were some of the complexities involved in mounting an exhibition of this scale?

There are logistical puzzles—Will the painting fit through the doors? Will the floor hold the weight? How many people will it take to move it? Then there’s the matter of space. These works needed more room than our usual ticketed exhibition galleries, so we moved into the collection galleries of the East Building, which meant temporarily relocating the contemporary works. Thankfully, Kiefer has an incredible team, and our staff rose to every challenge.  

What was it like working with a living artist on this scale?

It’s an honor to collaborate with Kiefer. Over the course of two years, we discussed and selected works being created in his studio, where he lays out the installation at 1:1 scale. Kiefer’s response from the beginning was enthusiastic and full of energy. From that moment, everything moved very quickly. Kiefer is not only a remarkable artist but also an extraordinary curatorial partner. When you walk into Becoming the Sea, you’re not just seeing Kiefer’s art—you’re stepping into his world.