Ingmar Alge (*1971 in Höchst) is one of the most important Austrian artists of his generation. Precise observations of social realities and their contradictions are at the center of his artistic research. With a keen sense for the sociological, the artist explores society’s rejects and internal emptiness. He sheds light on the magical dimensions of loneliness and melancholy, focusing their existential forms and thus working within the tradition of Romantic painting. Although his paintings are based on photographs, he changes them by adding countless, finely glazed layers, or by intensifying colors or exaggerating the composition. As a result, it is not really reality that is visible, but instead, our imaginations are stimulated. This publication is the first to provide an overview of Alge’s oeuvre through large images, explanatory essays, and an index of works. Exhibition schedule: Galerie der Stadt Backnang, February 16–April 21, 2013