WOODCUTS AND SCULPTURES – A. R. PENCK
PRESS RELEASE
A.R. Penck’s expressive style, condensed into an effective repertoire of symbols aimed at immediate and universal communication, is the result of long-term development. As early as the 1960s, Penck devised the form of “system painting,” in which combinations of diverse symbols and boldly painted, often raw-looking shapes offered abundant associations and served as intermediaries for complex messages.
By exploring general models of science and activity, Penck developed his own communication theory, with the concept of the “standart” as its key element. Through “standart,” he defines the information products of our era and the mechanisms that regulate our thinking and behavior. The “standart” is a tool for mastering the artificial environment of symbols. Penck’s art employs a calligraphic writing style and dynamically, rhythmically organizes space, expressing his goal of holistic perception and cultural dissemination.
Penck seeks to demonstrate how form can directly and effectively convey meaning. His interest in originality and the pre-verbal stages of intellectual activity is evident in his characteristic “matchstick figures” and his expression reminiscent of primitive art. This “primitivism” is an intentional method for analyzing the symbolic world that dominates our thinking: as visual culture expands, we are surrounded by an increasing number of image motifs that “speak” inherently. Penck appropriates these symbols and the signals they contain to subvert their effects. By questioning established and conventional modes of thought, the artist aims to restore the conditions for freedom. For Penck, true freedom begins with an awareness of the constraints governing life to which individuals must submit.
The artist strives for the highest possible level of generalization and abstraction, free from ideologies. At the same time, his art—rooted in the quest for freedom through awareness—is inherently societal. He has rejected traditional, dominant aesthetic values: for him, art is not merely a vehicle for aesthetic pleasure or a self-contained object for observation. To regain its original significance, art must function as an active force, creating a genuine relationship of meaning with its audience.
A.R. Penck is best known as a painter but is also an accomplished draftsman, printmaker, sculptor, and jazz and rock musician. Born in Dresden in 1939 (originally named Ralf Winkler), he moved to West Germany in 1980. Today, he lives and works in Dublin, London, Düsseldorf, and Cologne.
The exhibition at the Pori Art Museum features A.R. Penck’s woodcut works from 1966–1987, along with bronze sculptures created from 1985 onwards. The graphic works are part of a collection organized in collaboration with Maximilian Verlag – Sabine Knust in Munich and the Gerhard Marcks Museum in Bremen. The sculptures are on loan from Galerie Michael Werner in Cologne and Städtisches Museum in Bonn.
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