Jerusalem as Trauerarbeit (Chapter 3)

Jerusalem, as depicted in two distinct artworks by Anselm Kiefer and Gerhard Richter, serves as a powerful symbol of memory and historical trauma. Both paintings, despite their differences in size, materiality, and technique, reference Jerusalem's complex layers of history and conflict. Kiefer's large-scale work uses abstract elements like liquid lead and metal skis to evoke a sense of divine Jerusalem, while Richter's smaller painting dissolves the city into a hazy atmosphere, relying on the title for identification. The study highlights that memory in Jerusalem is not passive but actively constructed and reconstructed in the present, reflecting its enduring significance as a site marked by ancient religious and political tensions.

Weijers, W. (2014). 3 Jerusalem as Trauerarbeit. The Imagined and Real Jerusalem in Art and Architecture, 59–87. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004270855_005