Anselm Kiefer: Confronting History Through Texture and Symbol Anselm Kiefer (born 8 March 1945 in Donaueschingen, Germany) stands as one of the most distinctive voices within Neo-Expressionism, an artistic movement that erupted in the late 1970s and early 1980s as a reaction against Minimalism and Conceptual Art. His oeuvre transcends mere representation; it’s an immersive exploration of German history—particularly its trauma—expressed through monumental canvases and sculptures crafted from unconventional materials like ash, straw, clay, lead, and shellac. Kiefer's artistic journey began wit…