Peter Peinzger was born in Weimar (East Germany) in 1952. He studied art, philosophy, literature, and theology, and ran an alternative art gallery in the GDR. In 1990 he was asked to paint the abstract work “Stadtmenschen” (“City People”) across 12 Wall sections in the East Side Gallery.
Peinzger’s painting “Stadtmenschen” (“City People”) shows aspects and impressions of a city. Isolated human figures and a dog emerge from abstract forms. The right side of the painting is dominated by a giant, mask-like, black face gazing at the viewer. The painting leaves much scope for personal interpretation.
Peinzger studied art at Burg Giebichenstein in Halle and philosophy, literature and theology in Bonn, Berlin, and Hagen. In 1978 he and his wife set up an art gallery in their Erfurt home as an alternative to the state exhibition system of the GDR. It rose to success and was later forced to close. In 1980 the Peinzgers moved to East Berlin. Alongside his activity as an artist, Peinzger also published books on philosophical subjects. He now lives and works as a painter in Boda Glasbruk (Sweden).