Anselm Kiefer’s Postwar Echo: Amsterdam Show Confronts History

By Trudy Pizano – LatamArt.com Curator

Anselm Kiefer, born in war-scarred Germany, broke taboos by confronting his country’s unsettling past. Now, an expansive exhibition across two Amsterdam museums highlights his monumental works—an exploration of memory, tragedy, and artistic defiance in a world increasingly fraught with tension.

A Childhood Among Ruins

Anselm Kiefer recalls Germany hurt by the end of World War II. Damaged buildings formed his early playground as broken bricks mixed with concrete shaped his thoughts. In interviews, the artist says that walking through these empty spaces left a deep mark on him, planting ideas for the clear subjects seen in his paintings and installations. Kiefer became among the first postwar German artists to face the country’s hard past using symbols or hints that many chose to cast aside.

The new exhibition in Amsterdam, divided between the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk, encapsulates the breadth of Kiefer’s artistic journey. Through some 25 pieces—sprawling canvases, paper, films, and immersive installations—visitors witness Kiefer’s creative evolution from introspective studies of history and myth to contemporary statements about violence, memory, and the weight of national guilt. It’s a rare opportunity to see how the same child who once tiptoed through bomb craters now uses paint, lead, clay, and symbolic materials to voice what mainstream Germany attempted to bury.

From the start, Kiefer’s approach has unsettled many. Images referencing the Third Reich repurposed iconography from Wagner’s Ring cycle, and biblical or mythological allegories swirl together in a quest for understanding. Some critics accuse him of stirring painful memories, while others hail his courage in unveiling the psychological scars a nation often tries to hide. Regardless, the echoes of that childhood in postwar rubble remain inseparable from his art.

The Influence of Van Gogh

Although Kiefer is known mostly for his focus on troubled parts of German history, the Amsterdam show shows another side: his interest in Vincent van Gogh. Speaking with EFE, Kiefer reveals how Van Gogh’s expressive brushwork and existential longing resonated with his own hunger to depict raw human emotion. Both men, in different eras, found themselves balancing cosmic anxieties with a reverence for nature. Sunflowers, star-studded skies, twisted trees—these motifs appear in each painter’s body of work, albeit interpreted through distinct lenses. In Kiefer’s case, he uses unusual materials such as ash, straw, and lead to evoke the transience of life. That approach resonates with Van Gogh’s thick, swirling paint, each stroke heavy with longing and desperation. The exhibition allows visitors to compare original Van Gogh masterpieces—like the iconic Wheatfield with Crows—to Kiefer’s tributes and responses, forging a creative conversation across centuries.

Like Van Gogh, Kiefer doesn’t shy away from tragedy and sorrow. He sees parallels between the tragic experiences of postwar Germany and the personal anguish that plagued Van Gogh. Through canvas after canvas, the thick textures suggest ruin, reconstruction, and the possibility of beauty reemerging from ashes—symbolic of a turbulent Europe forging a new identity. For museumgoers, the pairing with Van Gogh’s tortured genius opens fresh insights into Kiefer’s palette, revealing that behind the gloom lies a pursuit of spiritual depth and transformation.

Monumental Art with a Political Core

One of the show’s highlights is Kiefer’s monumental installation combining painting and clay with uniforms, dried rose petals, and flecks of gold. Typical of his layered symbolism, the piece merges motifs of decay and regeneration—human conflict set against cyclical natural growth. Lead, a recurring material in Kiefer’s arsenal, adds weight to the works, acting as both a literal burden and metaphor for history’s toxicity. The artist has explained that, like in the German past, lead is dangerous if mishandled and must be understood before one tries to reshape it.

In conversation with journalists, including from EFE, Kiefer notes how swiftly Europe’s political climate has shifted in recent years, describing a “threatening” scenario reminiscent of the polarizations he’s witnessed before. He doesn’t illustrate current events in a direct sense but acknowledges that he stays informed and processes the turmoil unconsciously. Through many layers of paint along with gathered items, fears of a troubled continent show in his work. They join ancient sufferings with today’s stress.

Some local critics applaud the show for its hard work. It does not use fixed paintings; visitors see big screens. They seem to step into old halls. Actual items such as worn uniforms or dry materials back Kiefer’s view that artworks are a record to start a talk with the past that matters now. For many, the revelations come less from literal messages than from the emotional atmosphere his works conjure.

Reflecting on a Turbulent Legacy

For a figure born in the rubble of World War II, Kiefer’s perspective remains notably bleak—and intriguingly hopeful. Asked whether his art constitutes a rallying cry against war, he replies that he doesn’t consciously craft anti-war exhibitions. Instead, he expresses what wells up from his internal reservoir of knowledge and trauma, weaving together glimpses of myth, biblical allegories, and contemporary political strife. He insists that art is neither direct activism nor pure escapism; it’s an act of revelation, forcing viewers to confront truths they might rather ignore.

In his Amsterdam show, Kiefer returns to his earlier work. He honors Van Gogh while he keeps working on exposing Europe’s marks.

Scattered through the galleries, guests see symbols like crows, large canvases, and burnt materials, plus links to Germany’s troubled past. Each piece asks them to think about the lasting impact of conflict, bias, and strength. The exhibit shows that despite many years of change, Europe’s hidden issues still exist. Viewing these huge works, full of both sadness and hints of hope, visitors deal with the choice between recalling old wrongs versus creating a shared future.

Also Read: Hidden Discovery Magnifies Picasso’s Genius for Global Art

In the end, Kiefer’s work stresses the ongoing balance between ruin and a new start. He stands among the rare creators who bridge personal reflection and collective introspection, mining Europe’s complicated memory. The Amsterdam museums hosting these 25 works pay tribute to an artist unafraid to stare into the darkness—while nurturing the seeds of light that inevitably sprout amid the debris. For visitors, the show offers a meeting with big art and a chance to discuss details of heritage and identity as past harms shape our present. If the view is unsettled, that might be the goal.

*Trudy Pizano is the curator for LatamArt.com combining her background in art history, art administration, and marketing to direct collections and shape exhibitions. As a curator with roots in Latin America, she discovers rising artists. Her studies bridge the gap between today’s society and Latin American traditions, which helps her select creators whose work reflects meaningful social themes.

LatamArt.com promotes appreciation for modern and contemporary art from Latin America. Through exhibitions and education, the platform gives space to artists from numerous countries across the region. The website brings together creators and viewers to examine cultural expressions of their times.