The artwork titled “Solo” was created by Joerg Immendorff in 1988 and is an oil on canvas. As part of the Neo-Expressionism movement, the piece exemplifies the genre painting style and measures 200 by 150 cm. What characterizes “Solo” is the immediate visual impact of its color scheme and the intensity of its expression.
In the artwork, we see a central figure seated at a table covered with a pink cloth, set against an energetically illustrated background that appears to buzz with a series of smaller scenes and characters. The seated figure, likely a man, is depicted with almost caricatured features, a result of the Neo-Expressionist style which often distorts figures to convey emotion and significance rather than realistic representation. He appears contemplative or perhaps weary, with one hand on his cheek and a somewhat vacant gaze.
The table hosts a few objects, including a bottle, several glasses, and a pack of cigarettes, suggesting a setting where one might be able to reflect or wallow in solitude. Interplaying with the seated figure, the background contains a myriad of activities and narratives within frames or compartmentalized spaces. These background elements are drawn with a loose hand, and the warm color palette pervades the entire composition, adding to the sense of chaos and intensity.
Overall, “Solo” appears as a commentary or reflection on the human condition, loneliness, or the role of the artist, speckled with symbolism that is open to interpretation by viewers familiar with Immendorff’s oeuvre and the tendencies of Neo-Expressionism.
