Café Deutschland I is a prominent work of art created by Joerg Immendorff in 1978. The artwork is part of a larger series, which examines the Third Reich, the division of Germany into East and West, and artistic identity in postwar Germany. The series uses a fictitious bar interior as a platform that provides an explicit insight into Immendorff’s life experiences.
The paintings in Café Deutschland I are densely packed with political iconography and portray a vast cast of political and artistic figures relevant to the specific period. One unique aspect of this artwork is Immendorff’s incorporation of his former tutor Beuys within the painted scenes. Furthermore, it displays exaggerated forms that were established during German Expressionism, making it one of the most notable works from this particular movement.
Immendorff was known to have worked on grand cycles of paintings for years at once that were usually political in nature. Key artworks like LIDL also feature similar themes revolving around politics as showcased via his unique painting style.
