Introduction for Expedition to the Holyland

Text by A. R. Penck (Ralf Winkler)

1983

Screenprint

Minneapolis Institute of Art

A leading proponent of German Neo-expressionism, A.R. Penck produced the print portfolio Expedition to the Holyland in response to a visit he made to Israel and its occupied territories in early 1983. The project was the brainchild of prominent publisher and collector Joshua Gessel, who invited Penck to portray some of his experiences and impressions of the Holy Land. Penck explored a number of distinct themes and subjects in the portfolio’s fifteen plates, choosing techniques he considered best suited for each of the particular themes presented. For example, he used color lithography for his interpretations of the region’s landscap