Coinciding with a new era for VILLEPIN in Hong Kong, the gallery is organising a solo exhibition of German artist Anselm Kiefer from 19 May until 17 September 2023: Anselm Kiefer: Golden Age.

Given the long-standing personal relationship between Arthur and Dominique de Villepin, founders of VILLEPIN, and Anselm Kiefer, the exhibition has been collaboratively curated between the gallery and the artist’s studio, and will feature a comprehensive view of the practice of this seismic artist. Showcasing artworks created between 2020 and 2022, the gallery will also organise salon talks and guided tours, and will provide educational materials.

Arthur and Dominique de Villepin in front of Anselm Kiefer’s artwork

As a German born at the end of World War II, Anselm Kiefer grapples with the national mythology of the Third Reich and reflects on Germany’s post-war identity history. His extensive body of work reflects a broad spectrum of cultural, literary, and philosophical references that visually encapsulate collective memory.

From the Old and New Testaments to Kabbalah mysticism, Norse mythology, Wagner’s Ring Cycle, and the poetry of Ingeborg Bachmann and Paul Celan, Kiefer’s art fuses painting and sculpture to engage with complex historical events and ancestral epics of life, death, and the cosmos.

His repertoire of imagery is vast-ranging and paralleled only by the breadth of media he employs, including paintings, vitrines, installations, artist books, and works on paper such as drawings, watercolours, collages, and altered photographs. Kiefer’s materials, from lead, concrete, and glass to textiles, tree roots, and burned books, are symbolically resonant. Through the integration, expansion, and regeneration of imagery and techniques, Kiefer brings to light the significance of the sacred and spiritual, myth and memory.

Anselm Kiefer in his studio in Croissy, Photo by Georges Poncet

Ahead of the exhibition, Arthur de Villepin shared with us the inspiration behind the organisation of such an important exhibition in Hong Kong. We discussed the process of collaborating with the artist, the key themes within the show and the works which will be seen for the first time outside of Kiefer’s studio, at VILLEPIN

Arthur de Villepin remembers vividly how, over the years, he has been invariably moved and fascinated by Anselm Kiefer, who he has known since he was a child, often spending time in the artist’s studio in Paris.

“One of the most remarkable encounters I remember about Anselm Kiefer was when he mounted a permanent installation as part of the Louvre’s decor at the museum in 2007. In the same year, my father and I attended the annual Monumenta exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris, where he exhibited different works that resonated with poems and novels. I remember how fascinated I was by his conferences at the College de France, so inspired and passionate. I have long admired the artist and am amazed by the world he creates, by his capacity to combine the different dimension of art: music, sculpture, architecture, engraving and woodcut… He shows us that beauty can also be found where it is less expected and that rebirth comes always after destruction”.

Anselm Kiefer, Im Frühtau zu Berge, 2021-2022

The idea to collaborate together to create an exhibition in Hong Kong began in Kiefer’s studio in Barjac in the South of France, where the artist has been living since 1992.

“Anselm was, from the start, very enthusiastic with the project. Through many conversations together and initial research on a more diverse narrative to present in Asia, we selected works that resonate with themes of myth, nature and alchemy. In my mind, there are, in his last works, strong connections with ancient Chinese tradition. Of course, we also took into consideration the scale and size of works for our Hong Kong space as some of his works are monumental”, recalls Arthur de Villepin.

“The exhibition’s title Golden Age refers to the peak of human civilisation and the flourishing of peace and prosperity. It aligns with the idea of utopia from Ernst Bloch, a German philosopher, but including for Kiefer a double dimension of regret and also promise. For him, nothing is ever ended. There is a cycle of life marked by the human time, as well as the geological and cosmic times. He believes the artist has a special responsibility to respond to the challenges of History through the power of Art, through creation, transformation, and perpetual alchemy. After the difficult times of Covid and following the opening of borders, this exhibition comes at the best moment to open new perspectives with the energy and imagination of art and culture”, explained Arthur de Villepin.

Anselm Kiefer, Für G. Segantini – die bösen Mütter, 2022

Featured in the show, the artworks Alkahest and Für G. Segantini both depict the imagery of mountains, a recurring motif that can be interpreted as a metaphor for utopia. Other recurrent motifs in the exhibition include bicycles and wheels, conveying the idea of renaissance and cyclical changes.

Through this exhibition, VILLEPIN hopes to “inspire and enlighten visitors through learning more about Kiefer’s practice and life” and to provide “enriching experiences for viewers to perceive with more acuity the passing of time”.

This desire is part of the core mission and initiatives of the gallery. Since its creation in 2019, the gallery has been reputed for creating exhibitions that fully immerse the audience into the life and art of the artists they advocate for. With Anselm Kiefer: Golden Age, the gallery is moving towards an even more accessible format, with new opening hours to welcome a broader public.

“For this show, we have decided first to transform the gallery to put the entire focus on the incredible works of the artist, in order to face them in the most pure and authentic way. We have decided to open up our gallery further by adjusting opening hours to the public and to provide regular public guided tours. We will be organising more educational events such as panel discussions and curator guided tours for local institutions as well as individuals who are passionate about art and collecting”, disclosed Arthur de Villepin.

Anselm Kiefer, Diamat, 2020-2022

The long term aim of the gallery is to continue enlarging the circle of collectors through their ambitious curated exhibitions, as well as to support their artists internationally and to collaborate with institutions in Hong Kong and Mainland China.

“I am thrilled to share with you that two of our represented artists, Myonghi Kang and Marie de Villepin, are currently and respectively having exhibitions at the TAG Art Museum in Qingdao and at the Today Art Museum (TAM) in Beijing”, shared Arthur de Villepin.

More details on the exhibition can be found on the link: Anselm Kiefer: Golden Age.

The gallery will be open Tuesday to Sunday, from 11am to 7pm, and will offer, for this exhibition, two guided tours every day at 3pm and 5pm. We encourage you to RSVP in advance by emailing info@villepinart.com.

More about VILLEPIN on their website here.