Page opening 13 from "The Heavenly Palaces: Merkabah" 1990

Editor: This is Anselm Kiefer’s "Page opening 13 from 'The Heavenly Palaces: Merkabah'," housed at the Harvard Art Museums. Its hazy monochrome palette creates a somewhat ethereal feeling. What strikes you about its composition? Curator: The stark contrast between the textured, almost corroded surfaces and the ethereal lightness is quite compelling. Note the division created by the implied central fold, setting up a binary opposition within the pictorial space. Do you see how the artist uses the grid structure to create tension? Editor: Yes, I noticed the grid but I am not sure I see the tension. Curator: Consider how the grid both confines and enables the expressionistic textures. The materiality fights against the rigid structure. It highlights the artwork's internal dynamics. What do you make of that? Editor: So, it's a dialogue between control and chaos. I hadn't thought of it that way. Curator: Precisely. And understanding that interplay is key to unlocking the work's formal power.