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
© 2012 Modern Art Gallery
