The name Neo Rauch means different things to different people. To some, this German artist is a social realist commenting on communism. Others prefer to think of him as a post-communism surrealist. Rauch stays largely mum on the subject, but has said, “For me, painting means a continuation of a dream.” One way to classify the painter and his work—colorful outdoor scenes that defy logic—is East meets West. The art, however, doesn’t care about classification. It simply asks you to look. —J.V.