Kiefer’s massive painting gains dedicated pavilion in Germany
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
Reinhold Würth, a German industrialist, purchased Anselm Kiefer’s painting Schwarze Flocken (Black Flakes) in 2008, but the artwork’s size, 11.2 meters high and 7.1 meters wide, prevented its display.
The Würth Group then commissioned David Chipperfield, a British architect, to design a building specifically for the painting in 2025. The new pavilion opened on October 13 in Künzelsau, Germany, next to Museum Würth 2. Kiefer collaborated closely with Chipperfield on the design, specifying details like room proportions and wall colors.
The resulting 140 square meter concrete structure includes a portico and roof lights, aiming to create a focused viewing experience. Black Flakes references a poem by Paul Celan, a Romanian Jewish poet, and reflects Kiefer’s ongoing exploration of German history and memory. Maria Würth, Reinhold’s granddaughter, believes the pavilion provides a fitting permanent home for the work.
The opening of the pavilion coincided with the reopening of Kunsthalle Würth, another museum in the Würth Collection, after a three-year renovation and expansion.
