The Facts
On October 22, 2026, Thaddaeus Ropac (gallery) announced the opening of a purpose-built pavilion for Anselm Kiefer's monumental painting 'Schwarze Flocken' (Black Flakes, 2007) in Künzelsau, Germany. The 11.2m-high by 7.1m-wide work, owned by collector Reinhold Würth since 2008, had been in storage for nearly two decades due to its size. In 2025, the Würth Group commissioned architect David Chipperfield, working with Kiefer, to design a pavilion exclusively for the painting. It opened on 13 October adjacent to Museum Würth 2, in the sculpture garden. The work, made with oil, emulsion, shellac, earth and branches, takes its title from a Paul Celan poem exploring Holocaust memory.
The Signal
The dedicated structure, described by Maria Würth as creating "an atmosphere that slows the act of looking," signals a growing trend among private collectors to commission architect-designed spaces for single monumental works. For the market, it underscores the enduring institutional and collector demand for Kiefer's large-scale history paintings. The collaboration between Chipperfield, Kiefer, and the referenced poet Celan also elevates the work's cultural significance, potentially influencing how such oversized pieces are valued and exhibited in the future.
- Artists: Anselm Kiefer
- People: Reinhold Würth, Maria Würth, David Chipperfield, Paul Celan
- Galleries: Thaddaeus Ropac
- Museums: Museum Würth 2
- Locations: Künzelsau, Germany
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