ANSELM KIEFER: EARLY WORKS

ANSELM KIEFER: EARLY WORKS

14 Feb – 15 Jun 2025

ANSELM KIEFER: EARLY WORKS

14 Feb – 15 Jun 2025

ANSELM KIEFER: EARLY WORKS

14 Feb – 15 Jun 2025

Anselm Kiefer: Early Works is a landmark exhibition of one of the world's most important living artists, organised in collaboration with the Hall Art Foundation and drawn from the Hall Collection.

Featuring paintings, watercolours, artist books, photos and woodcuts, all rarely displayed in the UK, this major exhibition takes us back to the origins of Anselm Kiefer.

With 45 works made during the period 1969–82, the show explores the artist’s roots, covering an array of cultural, literary and philosophical subjects including recent German history.

Best known for his monumental paintings and installations, Anselm Kiefer has become a towering figure of post-war art, and this exhibition is a unique chance for you to see his multi-layered and poignant early works. The exhibition also features three new paintings chosen by Kiefer from his own collection.

Black and white portrait photograph of Anselm Kiefer by Till Brönner, 2023

Black and white photograph of Anselm Kiefer at work in his studio by Barbara Klemm

Left: Portrait of Anselm Kiefer by Till Brönner, 2023. Right: The artist at work in his studio, photo courtesy Barbara Klemm

Kiefer’s artistic techniques and materials – which include straw, lead, concrete, fire, and ash – are as expansive as the themes of his artworks, with pieces endlessly changing in their organic nature.

Expressionistic still life watercolour painting of a flower and stem, with pink and white bloom and swirly blue background by artist Anselm Kiefer

Large scale expressionist dramatic painting in reds and blues by Anselm Kiefer's of solders in a U-boat on a turbulent sea with explosive fire behind

An untitled 1974 mixed-media artwork by Anselm Kiefer

Watercolour of a forest Wald in German showing expressionistic autumn leaves and trunks by artist Anselm Kiefer, dating to 1973–74

A 1970s watercolour, gouache and ink painting by Anselm Kiefer titled Die Etsch

Still Life Painting showing a colourful vase with loaf of bread and fruit by, Anselm Kiefer, in oils

The Dream King expressionist colourful portrait by Anselm Kiefer, watercolor and gouache on paper, 1974

Untitled - Soldat (Sol invictus Heliogabal) portrait by Anselm Kiefer

A 1977 artwork by Anselm Kiefer. A group of woodcut portraits, on paper, have been have been laid down on synthetic fabric.

Innenraum (Interior) by Anselm Kiefer, 1982 Watercolour and graphite on paper,

Brunhilde expressionist portrait by Anselm Kiefer

Wer jetzt kein Haus hat (Whoever has no House now), Anselm Kiefer, 2023, emulsion, acrylic, oil, shellac, lead, string & chalk on canvas. Collection of the artist. Courtesy of White Cube. © Anselm Kiefer

This exhibition features works which some visitors may find challenging or shocking. It includes references to Nazism and depictions of the artist making the Nazi salute in protest against fascism.

Born in 1945, Anselm Kiefer was among the first generation of Germans to confront the country’s troubled past and national identity in the wake of the second world war and the horrors of the Holocaust. Kiefer wrote, ‘If we don’t remember what we have done, we will do the same thing again.’ His work in the Occupations series (1969–70), where he makes the ‘Sieg Heil’ salute, constituted a protest against forgetting the crimes of the past, challenging viewers to ask themselves if such atrocities could ever happen again.

Timed tickets are in operation. Visitors and Members are strongly recommended to book tickets in advance to guarantee entry.

A booking fee of £2 applies on telephone bookings and booking amendments, to help support the Museum and cover Box Office costs.

BOOK TICKETS

FREE MEMBER TICKETS

Entry to the exhibition is free for Members but we advise pre-booking a timed slot, especially at busier periods, to guarantee entry.

You will need your 13- or 14- digit Membership Number to book.

BOOK FREE MEMBER TICKETS

Expand All

Ticket prices

Standard ticket

Ticket prices

£16.20
£18.00 with Gift Aid

FREE Entry (but booking is strongly recommended) for

Members & Patrons, Corporate Members
Under 12s
Carers (see 'Disabled visitors & carers' section, below)
University of Oxford students
Pupils with ASH pass
OU GLAM staff
Museum colleagues (OU Ruskin School, ICOM, UK Museums Association, NMDC members), carers

Proof of eligibility must be presented with your ticket when you visit.

Concession rate tickets at £15.20 or £17 with Gift Aid for

Senior citizens £15.20, £17 with Gift Aid
University of Oxford staff & alumni £15.20, £17 with Gift Aid

Proof of eligibility must be presented with your ticket when you visit.

Half-Price tickets available at £8.10 or £9 with Gift Aid, for:

Art Fund members
Children aged 12–17 years and under 25s
Blue Light cardholders (key workers)
Those who are unemployed/jobseekers

Proof of eligibility must be presented with your ticket when you visit.

Disabled visitors & carers

Disabled visitors should book a regular exhibition ticket at full or concession price, depending on eligibility.

Accompanying carers can access the exhibition for free with a ticket-holding disabled visitor, but should please book one of our free 'Carer' tickets for the same time slot.

BECOME A MEMBER
FOR UNLIMITED FREE ENTRY

Membership gives you unlimited access to exhibitions, as well as members-only previews, exclusive discounts in our our shop, restaurant and café, and much more.

Do I need to book in advance?

No, but booking is strongly recommended to guarantee entry.

Is the exhibition accessible?

Yes. Access to the exhibition is via lift and the entire exhibition is wheelchair accessible. Handheld labels are available.

There is also a level access route from the pavement outside the Museum to the front door. You can read more about Museum access at this link Ashmolean Access Guide

Disabled visitors should book a regular exhibition ticket at full or concession price, depending on eligibility (when tickets are made available later this year). Accompanying carers can access the exhibition for free with a ticket-holding disabled visitor, but will need to book a free, timed Carer ticket.

I'm a member of the Press and Media, can I request a complimentary exhibition ticket?

For any media enquiries about our exhibitions, please refer to our Press information page.

Can I visit the exhibition free using the NMDC and other museum reciprocal agreements?

Yes, you can visit our special exhibitions for FREE under the NMDC (National Museum Directors' Council), ICOM (International Council of Museums) and UK Museums Association reciprocal entry schemes.

You will need to bring proof of eligibility (Membership or Staff Card) with you on the day of your visit and present this with your ticket. Pre-booking is recommended.

Please note that these reciprocal tickets are not available to book in advance during the final two weeks of the exhibition. We cannot guarantee free entry for reciprocal status visitors during this time if there is limited capacity and
the exhibition is selling out.