Falling Stars 2006

Editor: This is Anselm Kiefer’s "Falling Stars," its date is unknown and part of the Tate Collection. It's… overwhelming. The textures are so rough, and there's a real sense of claustrophobia. What sort of statement do you see Kiefer making here? Curator: Kiefer's work often grapples with German history and its weight on the present. Considering that, how do you interpret the destroyed architecture and the inscribed text fragments in relation to post-war Germany's identity? Editor: Perhaps it’s about ruin, but also about memory and rebuilding. It's like the past is literally weighing down the present. Curator: Exactly! The "falling stars" may symbolize shattered ideals or lost cultural narratives. It's interesting how Kiefer uses material and scale to evoke collective trauma. Has this changed how you see it? Editor: Absolutely. I initially saw destruction, but now I see a complex conversation about history and responsibility. Thanks!