Anselm Kiefer, the seven heavenly palaces 1973-2001. Ausstellung Basel 28. 10. 2001 - 17.02.2002

This catalogue was published by Hatje Cantz in 2002 to document the significant exhibition held at the Fondation Beyeler in Basel, which ran from October 2001 through February 2002. The exhibition focused on Anselm Kiefer’s ambitious series of large-scale lead towers, titled The Seven Heavenly Palaces, which draw deeply from Jewish mysticism and the Merkavah tradition. It served as a definitive record of Kiefer's architectural approach to painting and sculpture, capturing a pivotal moment in his career where his work began to engage more overtly with concepts of ruins and cosmic ascension.

Edited by Markus Brüderlin, the book provides critical context for the site-specific installations that defined this period of Kiefer's practice. The design reflects the austere and material-heavy aesthetic of the artist's work, utilizing high-quality photographic reproductions to convey the texture of the lead, straw, and clay materials Kiefer employed. Upon its release, it was received as an essential reference for understanding the artist's transition into monumental installation work, praised for its scholarly essays that contextualize the philosophical and historical layers embedded in the Seven Heavenly Palaces series.