Anselm Kiefer

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With Anselm Kiefer contemporary art will be coming to the Palazzo Ducale, with an exhibition that is set to be the centrepiece of the fifth edition of MUVE Contemporaneo, the biennale organized by the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia and the key concern of which is to reflect on the relationship between contemporary art and museums. 

The opening of the eagerly awaited installation by Anselm Kiefer, one of the leading artists active today, is part of the celebrations for the 1600th Anniversary of the Foundation of Venice. The title of the work is from the writings of the Venetian philosopher Andrea Emo: “Questi scritti, quando verranno bruciati, daranno finalmente un po’ di luce” (“When they are burnt, these writings will finally provide some light”). The series of paintings produced specially for the Palazzo Ducale in 2020 and 2021 are arranged in the space and magnificent setting of the Sala dello Scrutinio, engaging closely with the thirty-three monumental paintings on the ceiling and with the heroic values expressed by the palace’s entire decorative scheme. The show underlines the role of contemporary art in reflecting on universal themes, transcending Venice and opening up to current philosophical perspectives.