Heimkehr, 2010

Celebrated for his unflinching depictions of industrial alienation within East Germany, Neo Rauch is a painter whose works reflect the style of the Socialist Realism that sprung from Communism; such works as Signal and Gold portray scenes of labour and activity in which the figures that are depicted do not necessarily match the era that is being conveyed. Largely influenced by the works of Rene Magritte and Giorgio de Chirico, Rauch employs a contrasting palette of acidic, bright colour alongside ominious, darker hues to create an environment that is full of uncertainty and doubt. Of his politically charged works, Rauch has commented that he views himself as ‘a kind of peristaltic filtration system in the river of time’ - whereas fellow German artists such as Polke and Richter chose to leave Germany, Rauch stayed and his works depict this, often incorporating village scenes and propaganda posters.