Artist in Focus
Artist in Focus
Research Pro Forma
Date: 9th May 2020
Project Title: Art as a source of light
Artist/Designer/Architect/Photographer: Anselm Kiefer
Why have you chosen this artist as your inspiration?
"It is not the language of painters but the language of nature which one should listen to, the feeling for the things themselves, for reality is more important than the feeling for pictures." Vincent Van Gogh
I have chosen this artist because he connects well to my thought of light as he shows a phenomenal artwork display. Anselm’s painting style is quite unique because he has been able to use both a combination of painting with a photographed piece of art to arive at a final piece. I admired how he has used the little flashes of light reflection; this gives the art piece a futuristic background story as the artist connects to the little dots. These dots symbolize stars from the galaxy. In comparison to my work I have made use of a moon reflection to bring out that idea of a new life.
I am also interested in the methods Anselm uses; as an example, he engages with myth and memory, referencing totems of German culture and collective history (Kiefer, 2020). Creating this artwork with the use of Gouache and pencil on photograph
Ich halte alle Indien in meiner Hand (I hold all the Indias in my hand), 1995
I consider photography as “You just have to care about what's around you and have a concern with humanity and the human comedy,” (Elliott Erwitt - 596 Artworks, Bio & Shows on Artsy, 2020). Meaning that photography is another form of art that is used to expose the true feeling of the artist involved similar to that of Anselm Kiefer.
Discuss a piece of the artists’ work that particularly interests you and explain how this relates to your work
Anselm Kiefer, Aschenblume (Ash Flower), 2004
Anselm’s works often seem to reveal a lot of detail in black and white this seems to support that he is aiming for his fictionalised works are imagined. In this artwork, he has the background effect of an ancient cage, this gives it a religious/sacred element that adds to the depth of the art piece.
(The Evening of All Days, the Day of All Evenings), 2014
This image is representative of Anselm as he engages with myth and memory. A story of how the Germans have decided to forget the past, looking into the future to start new thing. I really enjoyed the idea of using water colour as seen above, he made use of a technique called wash to give the art piece a foreground. With extensive attention to detail I would say his works are seen to be extraordinary.
Thinking about the work you have looked at what do intend to make that is inspired by this artist?
The ideas I have begun to play with are the following:
● To make my own mix mediums when painting
● To look at the (ash flower) and see if these can be applied into my artwork in meaningful way
● To consider how I could use different techniques in upgrading my game
What do you think will be the challenges of making this piece?
Depending on what I choose to do the hardest part will be really creating an image that is truly futuristic - Aslem fictionalises to expose the truth of human nature. I am interested in really making a dreamy effect that would look as a different dimension but just about similar to that of his works (Ash Flower), 2004.
How do you imagine the work will look when completed? Draw a sketch here...
Harvard Referencing
Vincent van Gogh, Mark Roskill (1997). “The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh”, p.156, Simon and Schuster
Tate. 2020. ‘The Starry Heavens Above Us, And The Moral Law Within’, Anselm Kiefer, 1969–2010 | Tate. [online] Available at: <https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/kiefer-the-starry-heavens-above-us-and-the-moral-law-within-ar01164> [Accessed 8 May 2020].
Artsy.net. 2020. Elliott Erwitt - 596 Artworks, Bio & Shows On Artsy. [online] Available at: <https://www.artsy.net/artist/elliott-erwitt?utm_medium=p-search&utm_source=adwords&utm_campaign=dsa-artist&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuMSSsc3I6QIVi9d3Ch3M-AcoEAEYAiAAEgJcMPD_BwE> [Accessed 22 May 2020].
IMAGE REFERENCING
Tate. 2020. ‘The Starry Heavens Above Us, And The Moral Law Within’, Anselm Kiefer, 1969–2010 | Tate. [online] Available at: <https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/kiefer-the-starry-heavens-above-us-and-the-moral-law-within-ar01164> [Accessed 8 May 2020].
Painters on Paintings. 2020. Virginia Wagner On Anselm Kiefer - Painters On Paintings. [online] Available at: <https://paintersonpaintings.com/virginia-wagner-on-anselm-kiefer/> [Accessed 21 May 2020].
Kiefer, A., 2020. Anselm Kiefer | Aller Tage Abend, Aller Abende Tag (The Evening Of All Days, The Day Of All Evenings) (2014) | Artsy. [online] Artsy.net. Available at: <https://www.artsy.net/artwork/anselm-kiefer-aller-tage-abend-aller-abende-tag-the-evening-of-all-days-the-day-of-all-evenings> [Accessed 21 May 2020].
Quite well written, although it would have been good to have heard more about the techniques and materials that Kiefer uses in more detail - he has in the past used a range of materials not just to create a visual language but as a call back to specific periods of time and events - the ash is a case in point, but also his use of cement, straw, sand etc. It is about texture and the memory of those materials that is important in his work. Again, be careful about paraphrasing other texts!
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