THE VINCENT is an award for young European artists.In a world of global culture,individual countries no longer set the standards,and this prize therefore recognises the achievement of European art.

Neo Rauch was born in Leipzig in 1960,where he still lives today.

He is one of the most original artists of his generation. His paintings appear dis-turbingly detached and familiar, for their figures, objects and mood seem to come from old advertising posters, dusty book covers or forgotten comics.Rauch"s formulistic visual symbols sug-gest a more profound meaning, yet it is difficult to decipher their message. The tension lurking under the almost frozen surface is fuelled by paradox. As vivid as the structure of the work comes across,the impression is rigid.As powerful as the broken colours are, they appear faded, of yesterday.

In 2002, Neo Rauch will receive "TheVin-cent" - The Vincent Van Gogh Award for Contemporary Art - in Maastricht. This publication marks the occasion of this award and forms the first comprehensive presentation of the artist"s oeuvre, with 70 works from 1993-2002.