Anselm Kiefer temporarily takes residence at the Doge’s Palace in Venice with the exhibition Anselm Kiefer. These writings, when burned, will finally give a little light, curated by Gabriella Belli and Janne Sirén.
He will occupy the majestic Hall of Scrutiny until January 6, 2023, coinciding with the 59th Biennale of Venice, alongside the greatest artists of the Venetian 17th century, including Tintoretto, Palma il giovane, and Andrea Vicentino, who have always been tenants of the Palace.
The exhibition and the tribute to Andrea Emo
A show understood as a dialogue, for which the German artist has prepared – working on his pieces – for two whole years, starting from 2020.
The works of Kiefer intertwine with those of the 17th century masters, guided by the words of the Venetian philosopher Andrea Emo, mostly unknown to those who do not engage with philosophy daily, but whose reflections – thanks to the artist’s tribute – are gaining new and well-deserved fame.
Kiefer, after reading and studying Emo’s writings, makes them the common thread and title of the exhibition: “these writings, when burned, will finally give a little light.”
On these canvases, there is the element of fire and what remains in its wake, as was the case with the fire that in 1577 destroyed the Hall of Scrutiny and the Hall of the Great Council, reducing to ashes the masterpieces that adorned them and leaving behind only remnants.
The most important artists of the time were then called to repaint those spaces, which now present themselves as we admire them today.
To add, as it has been said, “body to body”, new art to those masterpieces was a challenge undertaken by Kiefer but undoubtedly won: Doge’s Palace confirms itself as not only a place dedicated to the memory and enhancement of past art but also the right place to move forward and propose new reflections.
Venice between East and West
The Doge’s residence, the most prestigious and symbolic in the city, has historically welcomed various generations of artists such as Bellini, Carpaccio, Veronese, Titian, and the aforementioned Tintoretto.
Kiefer has managed to integrate his monumental and site-specific paintings within the Hall of Scrutiny, where, on the ceiling, the 33 canvases – equally monumental – of his predecessors stand out.
All the works communicate with each other, and this is how Venice and its history – also in light of the celebrations for the 1600th anniversary of its founding – become the protagonists: the exhibition translates into a reflection on the lagoon city and its role as a historical mediator between north and south, between West and East.
The title of the exhibition has been borrowed from philosophy, but the event is further enriched by connections between German literature, particularly with the second part of Faust by Goethe, and the various cultures present in the lagoon.
Anselm Kiefer. These writings, when burned, will finally give a little light is proving to be one of the most successful tributes to Venice and its greatest interpreters.
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