Jörg Immendorff (b. 1945)

One of the leading figures of the new German Expressionism, along with George Baselitz and Anselm Kiefer, Jörg Immendorff's paintings first came to international prominence in the 1970's. Having studied with Joseph Beuys in the 1960's, Immendorff approaches painting through a conceptualist stand-point; his works deal largely with the crisis of post-war German identity, a frenetic relationship with modernity, and a deep rooted faith in the role of the artist as an integral political and social force.

Myth-making is at the core of Immendorff's work. Developing his own complex brand of symbolism, his paintings can be read as allegory. Political iconography, such as the German eagle, Soviet sickle, and worker's fist, mix quite literally with Immendorff's ever expanding cast of characters: both politicians and his artist friends. At the heart is a rewriting of history - both political and artistic - where personal positioning and moral reconciliation is at the forefront.

Immendorff said, "In my eyes, everyone in the world should put the questions on the table again just as they did in the 80's: 'What's the reason I paint? What is the purpose of the work I carry out every day?'" For Immendorff, the act of painting extends beyond creative function: it becomes the most relevant means by which an individual can make an impact in history: measuring oneself against the world, taking a personal viewpoint, and creating real meaning from contemporary existence.