As one of the most prodigious artists of the 1980s and 90s, Martin Kippenberger epitomised the romantic notion of the artist in the late 20th century. Inventing himself as the centre of the art world, Martin Kippenberger’s practice was based on shameless self-promotion. Mythologizing himself as an Everyman-hero, Kippenberger’s vast body of work is a testament to a larger-than-life character, a tragic-comic paladin, plagued as much by his own talent and success as by his ego and shortcomings.

Martin Kippenberger’s Biography and Exhibitions

BIOGRAPHY

1953 Born in Dortmund, Germany

1971 Moved to Hamburg and lived in various communes

1972 Hamburg College of Art, Fine Art, BA

1978 Moved to Berlin. Became manager of the famous S.O. 36 hall venue.

1980 Moved to Paris and worked on his first novel

1983 Settled in Cologne, worked with Albert Oehlen

1997 Died in Vienna

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2004

Brasilien aktuell: The Magical Misery Tour Gagosian Gallery, London

2003

Das 2. Sein (The Second Being) Museum für Neue Kunst/ZKM, Karlsruhe

Multiples Kunstverein, Braunschweig

Nach Kippenberger (After Kippenberger) Museum Moderner Kunst, Stiftung Ludwig, Vienna, Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven

2002

Dear Painter, paint me CentreGeorges Pompidou, Paris

1997

Documenta X Kassel, Germany

Der Eiermann und seine Ausleger (The Egg man and his Jib) Städtisches Museum Abteiberg, Mönchengladbach, Germany

1994

The Happy End of Franz Kafka’s America Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam

1993

Kunstverein Kippenberger Fridericianum, Kassel

Kandidatur für eine Retrospektive Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris Founds

MOMAS (Museum of Modern Art Syros), Greece Construction of the first subway station, Syros

1991

Put Your Eye In Your Mouth Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco

Heavy Burschi Kölnischer Kunstverein, Cologne

Tiefes Kehlchen Installation, Vienna

Martin Kippenberger always went too far. Going too far was what the German artist did, in art and in life. It was said he once bought a dilapidated petrol station in Brazil and renamed it Gas Station Martin Boormann, after the Nazi war criminal. It was also rumoured that he installed a telephone line, with the greeting “Boormann… Gaz” on the answerphone. He certainly had a photograph taken of the service station, which he blew up to wall size for an installation.all his work is that. He wants to really invent and with every piece to make something new and to be real avant-garde. All day long and with all of his heart he really does believe in nothing else but in art. He doesn’t define it, his father was an artist, he is an artist and his friends are artists.




By: Saatchi-gallery