Exhibition
Anselm Kiefer in Amsterdam
Exhibition
Anselm Kiefer in Amsterdam
Exhibition at the Van Gogh Museum & Stedelijk Museum
Anselm Kiefer: Sag mir wo die Blumen sind
Anselm Kiefer: Sag mir, wo die Blumen sind
7 March – 9 June 2025
Exhibition at the Van Gogh Museum & Stedelijk Museum
For the first time, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and the Van Gogh Museum are joining forces to present a major exhibition. At its centre is one of the most significant artists of our time: Anselm Kiefer.
Why have the two museums come together? For one, they are just 10 metres apart on Museumplein. 😉
But, of course, that’s not the main reason.
Anselm Kiefer has always felt a strong connection to Van Gogh. At the age of 17, he won a travel scholarship and set off on Van Gogh’s path – from the Netherlands to Belgium and France. Van Gogh remains a key source of inspiration for Kiefer to this day. That’s why his works—including never-before-seen paintings—will be displayed alongside Van Gogh’s masterpieces at the Van Gogh Museum. This juxtaposition is sure to be fascinating.
The Stedelijk Museum, on the other hand, has been acquiring and exhibiting Kiefer’s works from the very beginning. In doing so, it has played a crucial role in shaping his career and popularity in the Netherlands. For the first time, all Kiefer works held in the Stedelijk’s collection will be shown together.
As a spectacular addition, the exhibition will feature a brand-new, monumental work measuring 24 metres in length. This piece also lends its name to the exhibition: Sag mir, wo die Blumen sind (Tell me, where have all the flowers gone). The title refers to a 1955 anti-war song by American folk singer Pete Seeger. In 1962, Marlene Dietrich recorded a German version, cementing the phrase in cultural memory.
This landmark exhibition will offer an unparalleled opportunity to explore the dialogue between Kiefer and Van Gogh, as well as Kiefer’s profound artistic impact.
Van Gogh + Stedelijk Museum
Anselm Kiefer Tickets
Online Ticket
EUR 34,50Admission to the Van Gogh + Stedelijk Musuem + to the Anselm Kiefer exhibitions in both museums. First admission to the Van Gogh, then to the Stedelijk Museum. Tickets via us 2 Euro more expensive, but you support our work on this site! 🙏
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the details
at a glance
Exhibition:
Van Gogh Museum & Stedelijk Museum
Sag mir, wo die Blumen sind – Anselm Kiefer
7 March – 9 June 2025
Tickets:
Available on both official websites. Your timeslot applies to the Van Gogh Museum, where you will see the first part of the exhibition. Afterwards, you can visit the Stedelijk Museum.
✨ Now also available through us! Same conditions as on the official site: EUR 34.50 – that’s EUR 2 more, but by purchasing through us, you would support our work… 🙏
Prices:
Exhibition in both museums + access to their collections:
EUR 32.50 for adults
EUR 16.25 for students (with valid ID)
Free entry for children under 18 (ticket required)
Exhibition Only – Both Museums
EUR 27.50 for adults
EUR 13.25 for students (with valid ID)
Free entry for children under 18 (ticket required)
Van Gogh Museum Opening Hours
3 – 9 March: 9.00 – 17.00 h, Friday: until 21 h, Saturday & Sunday: until 18 h
10 – 31 March: 9.00 – 18.00 h, Fridays: until 21 h (except Friday, 28 March)
April – August: 9.00 – 18.00 h, Fridays: until 21 h (except 30 May & 27 June)
Stedelijk Museum Opening Hours
Daily: 10.00 – 18.00 h
Last entry at 17.45 h
ICOM Card
Free admission, but ticket required (Official Website)! And don’t forget your ICOM card!
About the Exhibition
Van Gogh Museum & Stedelijk Museum
The first part of the exhibition will be displayed at the Van Gogh Museum, where key works by Vincent van Gogh will be shown alongside those of Anselm Kiefer in direct dialogue.
This presentation aims to highlight Van Gogh’s lasting influence on Kiefer’s work. The Director of the Van Gogh Museum explains:
“Anselm Kiefer has engaged with Van Gogh’s work since his early years. Sometimes, the inspiration is almost literal, as seen in La Berceuse (for Van Gogh), where he uses sunflowers and references Augustine Roulin, the woman rocking the cradle. His latest work, shown here for the first time, proves that Van Gogh continues to shape Kiefer’s art today.”
The second part is at the Stedelijk Museum. As mentioned, all Kiefer works owned by the museum will be on display, including the popular “Innenraum” (1981). This, along with “Märkischer Sand” (1982), was acquired early by the Stedelijk, which also organized a solo exhibition of Kiefer’s work in 1986. This section of the exhibition emphasizes Kiefer’s strong ties to the Netherlands, particularly the Stedelijk Museum.
The new 24-metre-long artwork will also be showcased at the Stedelijk Museum, prominently placed in the staircase of the historic stairwell. Rein Wolfs, Director of the Stedelijk, states:
“The Stedelijk has had a long relationship with Anselm Kiefer and has played an important role in the acceptance of his work. This connection will be reflected in two special spatial installations that he will present in our building, offering an immersive experience. It will be truly remarkable to see these installations alongside some of his iconic works from the 1980s. In this way, Kiefer looks both to the past and to the future.”
The entire exhibition is being held to celebrate Kiefer’s 80th birthday in March.
Tell Me Where All the Flowers Have Gone
The Monumental New Work
Anselm Kiefer’s new artwork is inspired by the two anti-war songs mentioned above.
This YouTube video provides an explanation in French and English, followed by the song in German. The lyrics (excerpted) are truly heartbreaking:
“Where have all the flowers gone? Where have they gone?…”
“Girls have picked them every one…”
“Where have all the young girls gone? Where have they gone?…”
“Where have all the young men gone? Where have they gone?…”
“What has happened?…”
“Gone for soldiers every one. Oh, when will they ever learn?”
“Where have all the soldiers gone? Where have they gone?…”
“Gone to graveyards every one. Oh, when will they ever learn?”
“Where have all the graveyards gone?”
“Gone to flowers every one. Oh, when will they ever learn?”
“Tell me, where have all the flowers gone? Where have they gone?…”
“Girls have picked them every one…”
What does the work show?
Anselm Kiefer, “Tell me where the flowers are” (2024), installation view at studio, Croissy, France.
To have seen this work live is a unique experience. Who knows where it will be on display after the exhibition. It is gigantic at 24 metres and is shown on all 4 sides of the staircase. It is divided into 2 levels. In the lower area we see clothes, dipped in colour, hanging stiffly, protruding from the canvas. Yes, they are supposed to represent soldiers’ uniforms.
Next to and above them we see bodies, as if engraved in paint, lying down, bent over and perhaps dead? And female figures carrying out everyday tasks. These are almost greenish, the rest of the work is in dark colours, but also has golden areas.
As is usual with Anselm Kiefer, different materials are combined that have oxidised or otherwise reacted to air and water. This is because Kiefer ALWAYS uses all kinds of materials – such as clothes, copper plates, iron or tin soldiers, flowers, etc. – to integrate them into his works.
The curator says that Kiefer wants to use this work to talk about the human condition, about life, death and rebirth. That nothing lasts forever.
You first have to see it live to get a real picture of it.
Some info about
Anselm Kiefer
Anselm Kiefer was born in 1945 in Donaueschingen, Germany. After studying law and Romance languages and literature, he attended the College of Fine Arts in Freiburg im Breisgau and the Academy of Fine Arts in Karlsruhe and was in contact with Joseph Beuys. He has lived and worked in France since 1993.
Kiefer’s work includes paintings, installations, woodcuts and a range of works on paper such as drawings, collages and alienated photographs. The physical elements of his practice – from lead, concrete and glass to textiles, tree roots and burnt books – are as symbolic as they are unique. As a result, the works often take on a three-dimensional appearance, seeming tangible and able to draw us more easily into their world.
As Kiefer was born in the final months of the Second World War, reflecting on German post-war identity and history is obvious. In doing so, he grappled with the national mythology of the Third Reich. Kiefer also explores the complex events of history and the ancient epics of life, death and the cosmos.
Anselm Kiefer has participated in numerous group exhibitions, but has also had countless solo exhibitions. The most recent were just last year at Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, in 2022/23 at Palazzo Ducale, Venice and in 2021/22 at Grand Palais Éphémère, Paris. But he was also an integral part of the art scene in previous years with exhibitions at the Albertina Museum, Vienna (2016); Centre Pompidou, Paris (2015), Royal Academy of Arts, London (2014), Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (2011), Grand Palais, Paris (2007), Guggenheim Bilbao, Spain (2007), The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (1998), Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin (1991) and MoMA, New York (1987).
And now, in 2025, there will be a major exhibition in two important museums in Amsterdam: the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum.
Summery
We – that is, my children and I – have now been to the exhibition. The first part starts in the Van Gogh Museum. The audio guide was free for the children, so we were well prepared for the exhibition. It’s all about Kiefer’s relationship with Van Gogh. This can be seen in paintings and drawings. Beautifully organised and also very interesting for the children.
The second part of the exhibition in the Stedelijk can be visited with a free audio guide for everyone. Kiefer’s new work is simply gigantic and so deeply moving – you have to see it. However, the second part was very much characterised by the subject of war – ok for me, but difficult fare for the children. A lot of questions came up, which I hadn’t anticipated when planning the exhibition. So the exhibition was also a history lesson in light form.
Your Céline
Text- and imagerights: © Céline Mülich, 2025 – with reference to the official press release and own experience.
Image rights: Press kit of the Van Gogh Museum. Individual credits under the pictures.
