Together with Georg Baselitz, Kiefer represented Germany at the Venice Biennale. His paintings and Baselitz's sculptures caused an uproar: viewers had to decide whether the apparent Nazi motifs were ironic or meant to convey actual fascist ideas.
1980s
Kabbalah, alchemy and lead
In the 1980s Kiefer studied the Kabbalah and Kabbalists such as Robert Fludd. Lead, which became his chief material, first attracted him when he had to repair ageing pipes in the first house he owned; later he discovered its connection with alchemy. Extended journeys to the US and the Middle East also influenced his work.
