The exhibition brings together many of the interests that have characterised Kiefer’s work for decades, including mythology, astronomy and history. Located across the entire Bermondsey space, it features a large-scale installation and paintings that draw on the scientific concept known as string theory.

String theory is a mathematical model that attempts to articulate the known fundamental interactions of the universe and forms of matter. In this new body of work, Kiefer has ‘tried to bring together theories of seemingly extraneous principles from different cultures and histories’, so that complex scientific theory is connected with subject matter from ancient mythology. In so doing, Kiefer makes visual the idea that, ‘Everything is connected: the missing letters, string theory, the Norns, the Gordian knot.

Notes: Overwhelming very large scale works made up of smaller canvas’s connected to make vast landscape –like spaces. Each with a central vanishing point. Attached are axes branches, ash and dust. The axe heads are attached to roughly cut branches with twigs and scorched leaves still present. There was a scorched smell of wood present in the space which added atmosphere and a closeness to the work. Heavily layered paint, cracking in places with hand or perhaps brush marks gouging through the work. All visible at close contact and yet stepping back it become something else, an overbearing visual landscape to walk into.

Photos: me

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cube, W. (2019). White Cube – Exhibitions – Superstrings, Runes, The Norns, Gordian Knot. [online] Whitecube.com. Available at: https://whitecube.com/exhibitions/exhibition/anselm_kiefer_bermondsey_2019 [Accessed 18 Nov. 2019].