Vater 2007

Neo Rauch made this painting, Vater, with oils on canvas, and wow, what a trip! I see layers of stories, like scenes from a dream. There’s this huge figure carrying another man, while someone else snaps a photo. What’s that about? The colors are muted, but then you have these jolts of yellow, pulling you in. I can only imagine Rauch in his studio, wrestling with this scene. The paint looks smooth, like he's blended the edges to create a dreamy, unsettling vibe. Is it about power? Memory? It makes me think about other painters who create their own worlds, like Philip Guston with his personal iconography. Ultimately, painting is all about conversation. Rauch speaks to the past, maybe to his own history, and now he’s talking to us. It’s not about easy answers but embracing the questions.