A monumental work from a pivotal moment in Penck’s career, tskrie VIII reflects the artist’s lifelong engagement with the human struggle against societal and political systems. The title, an anagram of “strike,” connects the work to the miners’ strikes in Northern England, highlighting Penck’s sensitivity to global labor and political movements during his time in London.

Using his distinctive lexicon of signs and symbols, Penck created a universal visual language that challenges the relationship between individuals and the systems that govern them. The rhythmic forms and bold lines in tskrie VIII convey a sense of movement and resistance, while the raw application of dispersion paint evokes

urgency and tension.