“The High Priestess. Zweistromland” is a sculpture created by Anselm Kiefer between 1985 and 1989, which belongs to the Conceptual Art movement. The artwork consists of large, chaotic shelves filled with lead books, representing both a library and an archive, and embodying themes of knowledge, history, and memory.
The artwork features two tall, industrial bookshelves filled to the brim with what appear to be oversized, weathered books made of lead. The shelves are grayish and metallic, and the books themselves are crumpled and distorted, giving the impression of age and neglect. The overall scene is somewhat somber and monumental, suggesting a reverence for the knowledge contained within these tomes and simultaneously a commentary on the weight and burden of history. The background wall is also gray and bare, enhancing the stark and austere atmosphere of the piece.
