Neo Rauch

born 1960 in Leipzig, lives in Leipzig.

The eastern façade of the Paul Löbe Building is strikingly accentuated by the presence of two radiant green neon figures by Leipzig artist Neo Rauch. Each of the 10-metre-high sculptures shows the figure of a man standing on a ladder, although their poses differ slightly.

As familiar and realistic as they may at first appear, the question as to what they are doing is all the more puzzling: one seems to be reaching out to pluck fruit from a tree like a gardener, although neither fruit nor tree is to be seen; this could however just as easily be the gesture of a speaker to his audience.

The second figure is evidently waving to people, although again no one else can be seen. The two men are figures in a narrative known only to them, and whose secret they do not intend to disclose.

Neo Rauch has skilfully succeeded in conveying the mysterious aura of his trade­mark paintings in the unusual medium of two monumental neon sculptures. With their distinct and concise formal language they have become a shining symbol of the parliamentary buildings at this former interface between East and West, creating a landmark that is visible from far beyond the Spree.