Anselm Kiefer Solo Exhibition Held in Kyoto's Nijo Castle; Post-WWII German Master Presents ‘Solaris'
Why has humanity continuously repeated tragedies? This question came to mind while viewing a solo exhibition of artworks by German artist Anselm Kiefer at Nijo Castle in Kyoto.
The exhibition, which ended Sunday at the World Heritage site, featured selected works of the 80-year-old master, who represents a post-World War II artists' circle in the country. Kiefer is known for massive works that touch on themes related to mythology, religion and science.
The artist, born in 1945, overlayed Japanese and Western histories and senses of beauty, and posed this deep question in a world where war has continued unabated.
This was Kiefer's first large-scale exhibition in Japan in about 30 years. The items on display comprised 33 artworks, mainly newer ones, including paintings and sculptures.The first work that greeted visitors was an about 9-meter-tall lead sculpture titled 'Ra,' which was placed outdoors.
As if resisting the unescapable force of gravity, a pallet with wings extending widely demonstrates the power of imagination, making visitors wonder if the work may be able to take flight.
Most of the artworks were displayed inside dimly lit buildings and illuminated only by natural light.
The castle is famous for its kinpeki-shohekiga — screen or wall paintings mainly using gold and blue colors — which was invented by the Kano school of artists.
The traditional space suited Kiefer's works painted using gold colors, fascinating visitors.
Entering the spacious Daidokoro area of the castle's Ninomaru-goten Palace, visitors saw a painting symbolizing the exhibition. The work is about 4 meters high and about 10 meters wide and titled 'For Octavio Paz.'
The large-scale painting harshly depicts scorched earth immediately after an atomic bombing. Soft light depicted in the work accentuates the fury of a person at the center of the scene.
In contrast, works in the Okiyodokoro area showed a marvelous expanding scene that looks like a golden wheat field. The installation was titled 'Morgenthau Plan.'
The installation related to a plan that the United States devised during World War II to make Germany a country without advanced industries after the war. The work overlayed images of rich natural environments, loss in the war and the postwar occupation. The overlaid images depicted Germany's complicated postwar history.
Kiefer was born in a German city that had been devastated and has led a modern art movement with his harsh painting style. His techniques include using sand, lead and straw in layers on a canvas and even burning them.
What has always stuck with Kiefer is his willingness to face up to the dark history of his country and confront the hardships of mankind.
The subhead of the exhibition was 'Solaris,' which means 'related to the sun.'
The works looked at the world 80 years after the war and radiated the strength to illuminate the next generation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yomiuri Shimbun
5 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Anselm Kiefer Solo Exhibition Held in Kyoto's Nijo Castle; Post-WWII German Master Presents ‘Solaris'
Why has humanity continuously repeated tragedies? This question came to mind while viewing a solo exhibition of artworks by German artist Anselm Kiefer at Nijo Castle in Kyoto. The exhibition, which ended Sunday at the World Heritage site, featured selected works of the 80-year-old master, who represents a post-World War II artists' circle in the country. Kiefer is known for massive works that touch on themes related to mythology, religion and science. The artist, born in 1945, overlayed Japanese and Western histories and senses of beauty, and posed this deep question in a world where war has continued unabated. This was Kiefer's first large-scale exhibition in Japan in about 30 years. The items on display comprised 33 artworks, mainly newer ones, including paintings and first work that greeted visitors was an about 9-meter-tall lead sculpture titled 'Ra,' which was placed outdoors. As if resisting the unescapable force of gravity, a pallet with wings extending widely demonstrates the power of imagination, making visitors wonder if the work may be able to take flight. Most of the artworks were displayed inside dimly lit buildings and illuminated only by natural light. The castle is famous for its kinpeki-shohekiga — screen or wall paintings mainly using gold and blue colors — which was invented by the Kano school of artists. The traditional space suited Kiefer's works painted using gold colors, fascinating visitors. Entering the spacious Daidokoro area of the castle's Ninomaru-goten Palace, visitors saw a painting symbolizing the exhibition. The work is about 4 meters high and about 10 meters wide and titled 'For Octavio Paz.' The large-scale painting harshly depicts scorched earth immediately after an atomic bombing. Soft light depicted in the work accentuates the fury of a person at the center of the scene. In contrast, works in the Okiyodokoro area showed a marvelous expanding scene that looks like a golden wheat field. The installation was titled 'Morgenthau Plan.' The installation related to a plan that the United States devised during World War II to make Germany a country without advanced industries after the war. The work overlayed images of rich natural environments, loss in the war and the postwar occupation. The overlaid images depicted Germany's complicated postwar history. Kiefer was born in a German city that had been devastated and has led a modern art movement with his harsh painting style. His techniques include using sand, lead and straw in layers on a canvas and even burning them. What has always stuck with Kiefer is his willingness to face up to the dark history of his country and confront the hardships of mankind. The subhead of the exhibition was 'Solaris,' which means 'related to the sun.' The works looked at the world 80 years after the war and radiated the strength to illuminate the next generation.
Yomiuri Shimbun
6 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Kagawa: Figurine of Satirized Man Becomes Hit Among Young People; Researchers Hope to Boost Artists' Profile
ZENTSUJI, Kagawa — A figurine depicting a character from a 20th century satirical cartoon burning a banknote to light up the darkness has become a hit, especially among young people. The cartoon, 'Narikin Eiga Jidai' (Nouveau riche era), was drawn by Kunibo Wada (1899-1992), an artist born in Kagawa Prefecture. The Kyuman Museum of Art in Zentsuji, which conducts research on Kunibo's work, hopes the figurine will raise the artist's profile. One of Kunibo's best-known cartoons portrays society in the 1910-20s, when the nouveau riche appeared and amassed a fortune during and after World War I. The cartoon has even appeared in Japanese history the cartoon, a female employee of a high-end Japanese restaurant is anxiously searching its dark entrance for a customer's shoes while the customer, an elderly man, stands nearby burning a ¥100 banknote. He is smiling broadly and saying, 'How's this? It's brighter now, right?' At that time, ¥100 would have been worth over a hundred thousand yen today. In recent years, the cartoon caught the eye of Daiki Yoshimoto, who runs a figurine production company in Kobe. He reproduced the character. When he put the figurines on the market in July 2022 for ¥5,000, orders flooded in. 'He has a charming face and seemed ideal for a figurine,' Yoshimoto said. The Kyuman museum also sells other products featuring the character, including a clear plastic folder and postcards. 'More young people are visiting the museum thanks to the figurines,' said Miki Nishitani, a curator at the museum. 'I hope it will lead to more people knowing about Kunibo.'
Yomiuri Shimbun
11 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Dandyism, Decadence and a Taste of Rebellion at Junya Watanabe's Vision of Paris
PARIS (AP) — A new kind of dandy took over Junya Watanabe's runway on Friday — not the traditional gentleman, but a sharp-dressed rebel with a streak of punk at Paris Fashion Week. Watanabe, the pioneering Japanese designer known for mixing classic tailoring with a wild, creative edge, unveiled a lineup of bold, offbeat looks at the Lycée Carnot. The show was sharp but rebellious, rich in history but full of energy. It wasn't about looking back. It was an explosion of new ideas. Watanabe has built his reputation by smashing the line between elegance and rebellion. This season, he didn't just mix old and new, he turned history into a weapon. His spring men's collection borrowed from the past — rich brocades, jacquards and a hint of Rococo flair — but reimagined them with a bold, punk attitude. Jackets worthy of Venetian nobility were paired with rugged workwear and raw denim, creating looks that felt both grand and streetwise. The music followed the same energy, starting with a traditional piano piece breaking down into a thumping city beat. Classic style was pulled apart and rebuilt right on the runway. Some outfits showed off sharp, careful tailoring, but the order quickly fell away — seams went crooked, sashes trailed loose, wild patterns took over. Even the ties broke free, knotted multiple times in ways that broke from tradition. Despite the wild mix of styles, the show was more than just patchwork. Watanabe was making a statement about taste itself — a constant tug-of-war between old ideas and breaking the rules. Familiar touches — a monk's robe, the rooftops of Florence — were turned into clever fashion puzzles. Throughout the collection, Watanabe's eye for detail and contradiction remained. He's known for boldly mixing sharp tailoring with street style, blending Japanese tradition with punk energy. This season, he sharpened that approach into clothes that were both smart and full of electricity, pieces that challenged the idea of what it means to dress well. By the end, the dandy wasn't just a gentleman —he was sharper, braver, both thinker and rebel.
