A. R. Penck German, 1939-2017

A.R. Penck, whose real name is Ralf Winkler, is a German artist born in 1939 in Dresden. A painter, sculptor, and jazz musician, Penck is known for his distinctive style influenced by primitive art, graffiti, and pictograms. Having grown up in East Germany, Penck developed a coded visual language to circumvent censorship and address political and social themes. His paintings feature schematic figures, recurring symbols, and abstract signs, creating dense and enigmatic compositions. Beyond painting, Penck explored sculpture, creating works in wood and bronze that incorporate his distinctive visual vocabulary. He was also an accomplished jazz musician, playing with his own band and collaborating with renowned artists. After leaving East Germany in 1980, Penck gained international recognition. He exhibited at major institutions such as the Tate Gallery in London, MoMA in New York, and the Venice Biennale. His influence on contemporary art, particularly on German Neo-Expressionism, is considerable. With his raw and symbolic style, A.R. Penck created a powerful body of work that interrogates the human condition and systems of power, leaving a lasting impact on the art of the second half of the 20th century.