Cold War Germany and after

For some artists, the Cold War invited confrontations with Germany's Nazi past history and the ideological divisions that shaped their present.

1980–today

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An interview with Anselm Kiefer
An interview with Anselm Kiefer

SFMOMA talks with German artist Anselm Kiefer about exploring the past and materials in his work

Sigmar Polke, <em>Watchtower</em> series
Sigmar Polke, Watchtower series

Cheap fabric with a garish print becomes an eerie specter of surveillance thanks to some creative chemistry.

Gerhard Richter, <em>Uncle Rudi</em>
Gerhard Richter, Uncle Rudi

Richter toys with both visual and ethical clarity in this evocative, ambiguous painting of an uncle lost to WWII.

Gerhard Richter, <em>Betty</em>
Gerhard Richter, Betty

Hyperreal paintings like “Betty” are just one part of Richter’s practice, which resists stylistic classification.

Gerhard Richter, The Cage Paintings (1-6)
Gerhard Richter, The Cage Paintings (1-6)

John Cage and Richter never met, but there was a kinship between these two artists with diverse practices.

Gerhard Richter, <em>September</em>
Gerhard Richter, September

Richter revives the genre of history painting in the 21st century in this work showing the events of 9/11.

Anselm Kiefer, <em>Bohemia Lies by the Sea</em>
Anselm Kiefer, Bohemia Lies by the Sea

Is this a painting or a relief sculpture? Unclear. Whatever it is, Kiefer’s landscape is falling apart.

Selected Contributors