The Saint Louis Art Museum (SLAM) unveiled German artist Anselm Kiefer's exhibition "Becoming the Sea" on October 18, 2025, after 2.5 years of development. Spanning nearly 30,000 square feet, the show features enormous paintings shipped from Kiefer's Paris suburb studio, some cut into sections to fit shipping constraints. The exhibition includes works influenced by Kiefer's wife's hospitalization, his studies as a constitutional lawyer, and themes of anti-nationalism and philosophy. Kiefer requested no stanchions in front of artworks and that window shades remain up to encourage visitor immersion and connection with the outdoors.
The exhibition matters because it represents one of SLAM's most ambitious undertakings, emphasizing community outreach through family events, an interactive guide, and a documentary screening. Kiefer's deep connection to St. Louis, stemming from a 1991 visit where he resonated with the Mississippi River and local history, drove the project. The show challenges conventional museum protocols by allowing artworks to evolve naturally and prioritizing visitor interpretation over curatorial description, reflecting a transformative approach to exhibition-making that could influence how institutions collaborate with living artists.