Ralf Winkler, alias A. R. Penck, who also used the pseudonyms Mike Hammer, T. M., Mickey Spilane, Theodor Marx, "a. Y."

In his early teens, he took painting and drawing lessons with Jürgen Böttcher, known by the pseudonym Strawalde, and joined with him to form the renegade artists’ group Erste Phalanx Nedserd [de] (“Dresden” spelled backward).

[6] Winkler was one of the founding members, in May 1971, together with Steffen Terk, Wolfgang Opitz and Harald Gallasch, of the artist group GAP, which existed until 1976.

He was meant to exhibit at the Documenta 6 (1977), but was prevented to do so by the influence of an unofficial employee of the State Security of the GDR on a Hessian parliamentarian.

After emigrating, Penck became one of the foremost exponents of new figuration, alongside Jörg Immendorff, Georg Baselitz and Markus Lüpertz.

Some of his students are Antje Dorn, Susanne Themlitz, Joanna Danovska, Yoshimoto Nara, Marta Klonowska, Gesine Kikol and Andrea C. Hoffer.

[4] By this term, Penck understood an art form that used simple and archaic pictorial symbols, such as traffic signs or trademarks.

Penck's sculptures, although less known, evoke the same primitive themes as his paintings and drawings and use common materials, such as wood, bottles, cardboard boxes, cans, packing tape, tin and aluminum foil, wire and paste, all done with simplicity and spontaneity.

[11] A keen drummer, he was a member and co-founder, with Frank Wollny, of the free jazz group Triple Trip Touch (aka T.T.T.

He organized events at his country mansion in Heimbach involving installations by Lennie Lee, performances by Anna Homler and paintings by Christine Kuhn, in 1990.

The most expensive painting by Penck in the art market was Welt des Adlers I (World of the Eagle I) (1981) who sold by $687.201 at Sotheby's London, on 11 February 2020.