Exhibition Features Van Gogh and Kiefer MasterpiecesExhibition Features Van Gogh and Kiefer Masterpieces The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) in London will unveil an unprecedented exhibition in 2025, bringing together the iconic works of Vincent van Gogh and Anselm Kiefer. Kiefer/Van Gogh will feature a curated selection of their most renowned paintings and sculptures, showcasing the profound influence van Gogh’s legacy has had on Kiefer’s artistic journey. Developed in collaboration with Kiefer’s studio and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the exhibition will open at the latter institution before arriving at the RA’s Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Galleries from June 28, 2025. The complete list of exhibited works has yet to be unveiled. Kiefer’s monumental canvases, known for their exploration of history, mythology, and philosophy, have consistently drawn inspiration from van Gogh’s groundbreaking style. The exhibition will present an unprecedented opportunity to witness the dialogue between these two artistic giants. In preparation for Kiefer/Van Gogh, the Van Gogh Museum has partnered with the Stedelijk Museum to showcase select works from Kiefer’s personal collection. Among these will be Interior Space (1981), which will be exhibited at the Van Gogh Museum but will not travel to London. Throughout Kiefer’s illustrious six-decade career, van Gogh’s innovative techniques and subjects have left an enduring mark on his own practice. Art critic Jonathan Jones has remarked on how van Gogh’s presence “looms” within Kiefer’s work, a testament to the enduring influence of one master on another. In a recent interview, Kiefer acknowledged the profound impact of figures such as Jean Genet, Martin Heidegger, and Paul Celan on his artistic development. Despite his acclaim, Kiefer remains humble, expressing a belief that he has never created a masterpiece: “My talent is not enough… It’s never finished, in my case.” Kiefer/Van Gogh is set to be a highlight of the RA’s 2025 exhibition calendar, which also includes major shows featuring American artist Kerry James Marshall, Brazilian modernists, and the drawings of Victor Hugo. This diverse lineup promises to engage and inspire audiences with a range of artistic perspectives. Kiefer/Van Gogh: The Royal Academy of Arts, 28 June – 26 October 2025
Next summer, an exhibition bringing together Vincent van Gogh and Anselm Kiefer will open at the Royal Academy of Arts (RA) in London. It is the first exhibition to bring together the work of both artists.
Developed in close collaboration with Kiefer’s studio and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Kiefer/Van Gogh will open in the latter exhibition, before opening at the RA’s Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Galleries on 28 June 2025. The list of works has yet to be announced.
A spokesperson for the RA said: “Our curators work closely with Kiefer’s studio, and many of the works come from his studio. This is the first time that Kiefer’s and Van Gogh’s work have been shown together in this way.”
The Van Gogh Museum has organized its exhibition in collaboration with the nearby Stedelijk Museum. It is the first time that the institutions have organized a joint exhibition (March 7-June 9). The works of Kiefer in the Stedelijk collection, such as Interior space (1981) will be on display at the Van Gogh Museum, but will not travel to the RA.
“Throughout Kiefer’s 60-year career, the pioneer of post-Impressionism has influenced the subjects and techniques of his monumental paintings and sculptures, which draw on history, mythology, literature, philosophy and science,” a statement from RA said. Art critic Jonathan Jones noted how Van Gogh’s shadow “loomed” in an exhibition of Kiefer’s work at the White Cube in London last year.
In an interview with The Art Newspaper Earlier this year, Kiefer cited several influences, including French novelist Jean Genet, German philosopher Martin Heidegger and Romanian poet Paul Celan. He also spoke about how he doesn’t believe he’s ever created a masterpiece, saying, “My talent is not enough. I never think a painting can be finished. It’s never finished, in my case.”
Other major shows opening at the RA next year include a survey of works by American artist Kerry James Marshall (20 September – 18 January 2026). The exhibition, sponsored by BNP Paribas bank, will feature around 70 works, including a new series of paintings commissioned especially for the show and his commemorative sculpture Waking (2003).
The RA will start in January Brazil! Brazil! The Birth of Modernism (January 28–April 21), which explores the influence of ten important Brazilian artists of the 20th century, such as Alfredo Volpi and Geraldo de Barros.
Meanwhile, the drawings of Victor Hugo, the author of The Miserables (1862), are presented in Amazing things (March 21-June 29). “The exhibition will trace Hugo’s preoccupation with drawing, from his early caricatures and travel drawings to his dramatic landscapes and experiments with abstraction,” a statement said.
Kiefer/Van Goghthe Royal Academy of Arts, 28 June-26 October 2025
