A.R. Penck (German, 1939-2017)
Snow in Jerusalem (Expedition to the Holy Land series), 1983
Aquatint 32 x 44 in.
Communication, 1984
Etching and aquatint 32 x 44 in.
A.R. Penck, born Ralf Winkler in the East German city of Dresden, belonged to the Neue Wilde/Young Savages group, a cadre of painters that included Georg Baselitz, Jörg Immendorff, Anselm Kiefer, and Sigmar Polke. This eclectic group drew inspiration from early 20th-century German Expressionists, contemporary graffiti, and prehistoric art. Living in Communist East Germany, Penck and his fellow artists were under Stasi surveillance, prompting the artist to adopt various aliases, eventually settling on the name AR Penck based on the identity of a geologist known for writing about the Ice Age. To evade censorship, he clandestinely transported paintings to the West, aided by Cologne gallerist Michael Werner. The gallery has represented his estate since Penck’s passing in 2017.
Penck’s work is in the permanent collections of most major national and international museums.
More information on AR Penck can be found here: