In Bleak Times, Museums Turn to Old Heroes.

This article focuses on the renewed international interest in German artist Anselm Kiefer, whose work confronts the violence and trauma of history, particularly World War II and its aftermath. After a period of diminished visibility, Kiefer has experienced a resurgence since 2021 with major exhibitions worldwide, including in Paris, Venice, Florence, Amsterdam, Kyoto, and Saint Louis. This revival is linked to contemporary global conflicts, as audiences find resonance in Kiefer’s exploration of humanity’s destructive tendencies through a historical lens. The article also highlights a parallel retrospective of fellow German artist Gerhard Richter, whose work similarly engages with memory, history, and conflict, underscoring a broader cultural moment of reflecting on the past amid present turmoil.