How to see “Anselm Kiefer: Becoming the Sea”: A viewer’s guide

Since introducing the Jewish Light audience to the Jewish connections behind the largest exhibition ever at the Saint Louis Art Museum, we’ve received dozens of emails asking if there’s a preferred way to experience the show. This viewer’s guide is here to help.

The Kiefer exhibition is big. Not just in scale, but in scope. It features nearly 40 works, some more than 30 feet tall, all part of a decades-long conversation between the artist and this museum. If you want to get the most out of your visit, here’s what to know.

1. Start in Sculpture Hall

You’ll find five monumental paintings in the vaulted Sculpture Hall. These are the newest works in the show, made in the last two years specifically for this space. Two of them reference the Mississippi River. All five incorporate lead, gold leaf and sediment from electrolysis, a process where Kiefer submerges lead in a chemical bath, then uses the resulting sediment to make a textured, corroded paint-like surface. They are quiet, intense and meant to be experienced slowly.

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2. Continue into the East Building

From Sculpture Hall, follow the signs into the East Building galleries, where the rest of the exhibition unfolds. You’ll encounter paintings, vitrines and artists’ books dating back to the 1970s. These rooms show how Kiefer’s materials and ideas have evolved over time, especially his engagement with history, myth and Jewish mysticism.

3. Use the printed guide

You won’t find much text on the gallery walls. That’s by design. At Kiefer’s request, labels have been kept to a minimum. Instead, SLAM has created a detailed visitor guide. Pick one up at the welcome desks or view it on your phone. It includes descriptions of the artworks, explanations of recurring themes and a map of the exhibition.

4. Don’t miss the film

While there is no intro video inside the exhibition, SLAM is hosting a special screening of the 3D documentary Anselm by Wim Wenders in the museum auditorium. Showings run Nov. 21–23. The film provides a poetic and visually stunning look at Kiefer’s life, studio and worldview.

More details: slam.org/event/screening-of-anselm-in-3d

5. Take your time

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These works are meant to be felt as much as seen. The surfaces are thick and scarred. You’ll notice lead books, scorched spines, words partially buried under ash. The longer you stay with them, the more you’ll find. You don’t need to “get” everything. You just have to look.

6. Don’t wait too long

“Anselm Kiefer: Becoming the Sea” runs through January 25, 2026. It is the largest exhibition SLAM has ever mounted and one of the most ambitious shows of Kiefer’s career. And it all started here.