Can Heaven Bear the Weight of History? The 'Spirituality of Concrete' in the Work of Anselm Kiefer

W. Stoker

    Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

    Abstract

    The theme of heaven and earth has been present in Anselm Kiefer's work from the beginning (The Heavens 1969). In this article I will explore the spirituality of Kiefer's work, particularly his view of transcendence in works in which he makes use of Jewish mysticism. In doing so, I will be discussing, among others, Mark Taylor's, Daniel Arasse's and Donald Kuspit's interpretations of Kiefer's paintings. Kiefer's 'spirituality of concrete' has not only a melancholic, leaden tone of grey but also a hopeful stripe of light. It does not concern a transcendence irreparably torn from this world but a transcendence in which there is a direct connection between heaven and earth. Kiefer's 'spirituality of concrete' expresses immanent transcendence as an open question to heaven with a gleam of hope. © The Author 2010. Published by Oxford University Press 2010; all rights reserved.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)397-410
    Number of pages13
    JournalLiterature and Theology
    Volume24
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2010

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Can Heaven Bear the Weight of History? The 'Spirituality of Concrete' in the Work of Anselm Kiefer'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this