Anish Kapoor's Dark Side Shines at Lehmbruck Museum

Anish Kapoor, the Indian-British artist known for monumental, reflective works, is currently the subject of a solo exhibition at the Lehmbruck Museum in Duisburg, Germany. The show, titled 'Spieglein, Spieglein' (Mirror, Mirror), reveals a lesser-known facet of Kapoor's practice: his mastery of darkness and shadow. While Kapoor is globally celebrated for large-scale, highly polished stainless steel sculptures that mirror their surroundings, this exhibition emphasizes his engagement with blackness, void, and the absence of light. Works on view include pieces made from Vantablack, the ultra-absorbent material for which Kapoor controversially secured exclusive artistic rights in 2016. The exhibition demonstrates that Kapoor's artistic power extends beyond the spectacular and shiny, proving his strength in exploring the dark and the invisible. The Lehmbruck Museum, renowned for its collection of modern sculpture, provides an intimate setting for these works, contrasting with the public plazas and museums where Kapoor's largest pieces are typically installed. The show runs through early 2025.