Anselm Kiefer. The Alchemists

The Alchemists, the extraordinary new exhibition of Anselm Kiefer, one of the most influential contemporary artists, is one of the top cultural events in the programme for the Winter Olympic Games Milan Cortina 2026. Hosted in the atmospheric Caryatid Hall by Royal Palace, the exhibition is curated by art historian Gabriella Belli and collects over forty large canvases created specifically to enter into dialogue with the historical and architectural memories of this space, marked by the devastation of the bombing in 1943.

At the heart of the exhibition is the deep connection between Kiefer and the figure of Caterina Sforza, Milanese scientist and leader, author of a alchemical manuscript containing over 400 formulas including medicines and potions. Around her, the artist builds a female pantheon which pays tribute to forgotten but essential women in the history of the scientific thinking: Isabella Cortese, Mary the Judean, Marie Meudrac, Rebecca Vaughan, Mary Anne Atwood. Through dense, material and symbolic painting, Kiefer restores dignity to these faces erased from history, recognising the alchemists a crucial role in the knowledge and transformation process.

The entire exhibition takes the form of a poetic and philosophical reflection on the’alchemythe myth, the memorythe creative power of women and the possibility of spiritual and cultural regeneration. The catalogue of the exhibition is published by Marsilio Arte.