Biography

Martin Kippenberger
(1953-1997)

Martin Kippenberger was born in Dortmund, Germany in 1953. He graduated from the Hamburg College of Art in 1972. An extremely prolific artist, Kippenberger worked in multiple mediums, which included painting, sculpture, installation, photography and collage. Early influences in his career include the works by Sigmar Polke and Gerhard Richter. Through the years, he developed a diverse style that did not shy away from sometimes caustic political commentary. His criticism of the artistic status quo and daily life issues would become evident through provocative imagery and–eventually–recurrent motifs that in many cases represented the artist himself and aimed at shocking and disturbing the viewer. Kippenberger’s caustic and humorous works called into question the artist’s role within society and culture at large, as well as deeper issues of general culture and humanity, and his commentary did not go unnoticed. His famous Zuerst die Füsse (Feet First) from 1990, a self-mocking sculpture of a crucified frog with an egg and a beer mug, was created in response to harsh criticism that the artist received in an art publication. This unrestrained, bountiful commentary about the world around him is what makes Kippenberger’s oeuvre so powerful, and compelling.

Martin Kippenberger exhibited extensively throughout the United States and Europe. Recent solo exhibitions of his work have been held in institutions such as the Tate Modern in London in 2006, the Museum Moderner Kunst, Stiftung Ludwig in Vienna and the Museum fur Neue Kunst in der Kunsthalle, Tubingen in 2003. His works have also been included in exhibitions in major institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, in Madrid. Kippenberger participated in several Biennales in Venice and other countries, and his work has been featured in multiple publications. Martin Kippenberger died in Vienna in 1997.

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2011
"Eggman II," Skarstedt Gallery, New York, NYC
2009
“Martin Kippenberger,” Thomas Ammann Fine Art AG, Zurich
“Martin Kippenberger: The Problem Perspective,” MoMA – Museum of Modern Art in New York City, NY
2008
“Martin Kippenberger: The Problem Perspective,” MOCA, Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA
“Martin Kippenberger: Livres et Ephemeras 1977-1997,” Florence Loewy, Paris
“Martin Kippenberger : Grässlin Art Space,” St. Georgen
2007
“Martin Kippenberger,” Galerie Bleich-Rossi, Vienna
“Martin Kippenberger: Invitations and Posters 1977-1997,” Dickinson Roundell Inc. New York City
“Martin Kippenberger: Utopia for everyone,” Kunsthaus Graz, Graz
“Martin Kippenberger,” Galerie Gisela Capitain, Cologne
2006
"Martin Kippenberger," Tate Modern, London.
2005
"The Bermuda Triangle, Syros to Dawson City: The First Connection and 40 Drawings from the Collection of Michel Wurthle," Foundation 20 21, New York
"Self-Portraits," Luhring Augustine, New York (cat.)
2004
"Forgotten Interior Design Problems in L.A.," El Pueblo de la Reina, Los Angeles
"Brasilian Aktuell The Magical Mystery Tour," Gagosian Gallery, London
2003
Museum Für Neue Kunst, Karlsruhe. Germany (cat.)
Venedig 2003 (with Candida Höfer), Venice Bienalle, German Pavillion, Venice (cat.)
"Das 2 Sein," Museum fur Neue Kunst / ZKM, Karlsruhe
Schattenspiel im Zweigwerk, Martin Kippenberger, die Zeichnungen," Museum fur Neue Kunst in der Kunsthalle, Tubingen
"Nach Kippenberger / After Kippenberger," Museum Moderner Kunst, Stiftung Ludwig, Vienna; Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven
"Multiples," Kunstverein Braunschweig
"Die Weissen Bilder von 1991," Galerie Barbel Grasslin, Frankfurt
2002
“Martin Kippenberger– Hotel Drawings,” David Zwirner, New York
“Martin Kippenberger-– Metro-Net Projects,” Beaumont-Public + König-bloc, Luxembourg
“Martin Kippenberger– Selected Works,” Zwirner & Wirth, New York
2001
“Martin Kippenberger- ‘Bilder einer Ausstellung’,” Galerie Bärbel Grässlin, Frankfurt
2000
“Martin Kippenberger: Hotel Drawings and The Happy End of Franz Kafka's 'Amerika'," joint exhibition at The Smart Museum and The Renaissance Society, University of Chicago, Chicago
1999
"Martin Kippenberger: Self-portraits, The Happy End of Franz Kafka's 'America', Sozialkistentransport, Lanterns, etc.", Deichtorhallen, Hamburg
"Together Again Like Never Before: The Complete Poster Works of Martin Kippenberger,” 1301PE, Los Angeles
1998
“Martin Kippenberger," MAK Center for Art and Architecture, Los Angeles (cat.)
"Martin Kippenberger," Kunsthalle Basel (cat.)
"Martin Kippenberger," Kunsthalle Zurich (cat.)
"Martin," steirischer herbst 98, Graz, Austria
"Hotel Drawings," Works on Paper, Los Angeles (cat.)
1997
"Respektive," Musée d'Art Moderne et Contemporain, Geneva; Museo d'Arte Contemporanea, Castello di Rivoli, Turin
"Der Eiermann und sien Ausleger," Stadtisches Museum Abteiberg Monchengladbach, Germany
"Kathe Kollwitz Prize Exhibition," Akademie der Bildendun Kunste, Berlin
1996
"Made in Syros," Eleni Koroneou Gallery, Athens
Galerie Mikael Anderson, Copenhagen
Villa Merkel, Esslington
1995
"Directions: Martin Kippenberger," Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C.
"Exit of the Underground Station Dawson City West," Dawson City, Canada
1994
Galerie Borgmann-Capitain, Cologne
"The Happy End of Franz Kafka's Amerika," Boymans van Beuningen Museum, Rotterdam
Espace Departemental d'Art Contemporain, Chauvigny, France
Brandenburgischer Kunstverein, Potsdam
1993
"Candidature á une Retrospective," Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris
"Pictures of an Exhibition," Forum for Contemporary Art, St. Louis (cat.)
"Entrance to the Subway Station Lord Jim," Kthma Canné Hrousa, Syros, Greece
Villa Arson, Nice
1991
"Heavy Mädel," Pace/MacGill, New York (cat.)
Luhring Augustine Hetzler, Santa Monica
"Martin Kippenberger: New Work," San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (cat.)
"Tiefes Kehlchen," Wiener Festwochen, Vienna (cat.)
"The Beginning Was a Retrospective," Karsten Schubert Gallery, London
"Heavy Burschi," Koelnischer Kunstverein, Cologne (cat.)
Kunstraum Daxer, Munich (cat.)
Samia Saouma Gallery, Paris (and 1993, 1996)
"William Holden Company On Tour," Galerie Wewerka & Weiss, Berlin
1990
Villa Arson, Nice, France (cat.)
Galleri Nordanstad - Skarstedt, Stockholm
"American Dreamer in Italy," Gio Marconi, Milan
"Heimweh-Highway 90," Fundacio Caixa de Pensions, Barcelona
Anders Tornberg Gallery, Lund, Sweden
1989
Galeria Juana de Aizpuru, Seville and Madrid (and 1994)
David Nolan Gallery, New York (and 1991, 1993, 1999)
Halle Sud, Geneva (cat.)
"New Photographic Works," Galerie F.C. Gundlach, Hamburg
Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (brochure)
Museum of Contemporary Art, Seville
1988
Kunsthalle Winterthur, Switzerland
1987
Galerie Susan Wyss, Zurich
Galerie Norballe, Copenhagen
Galerie Sylvana Lorenz, Paris (and 1989)
"Pop In," Forum Stadtpark, Graz
Galerie Gisela Capitain, Cologne (and 1989, 1990, 1991, 1997, 2000)
1986
"Miete Strom Gas," Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt (catalogue)
Galerie Durr, Munich
Oldenburger Kunstverein, Oldenburg, Germany
1985
Galerie van Beveren, Rotterdam
Galerie Ascan Crone, Hamburg (and 1986)
Metro Pictures, New York (and 1987, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 2000)
Galerie Bleich-Rossi, Graz (and 1987, 1990, 1992)
Galerie Heinrich Ehrhardt, Frankfurt
CCD Galerie, Dusseldorf (and 1986)
Galerie Bärbel Grässlin, Frankfurt (and 1987, 1990, 1994, 2001)
Galerie Klein, Bonn (and 1991, 1992)
Kuhlenschmidt Simon Gallery, Los Angeles
1984
GalerieMax Hetzler, Cologne (and 1985, 1987, 1989, 1992)
Galerie Peter Pakesch, Vienna (and 1987,1990)
1983
Galerie Rudolf Zwirner, Cologne
1981
Galerie Max Hetzler, Stuttgart (and 1983)
Galerie Achim Kubinski, Stuttgart

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2010
“James Ensor-Hareng Saur: Ensor et l'art contemporain,” SMAK Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Arts, Ghent
“Out Of the Office/ Ruhr 2010,” Kunstmuseum Bochum, Germany
“Compass in hand,” Selección de la Colección de dibujo contemporáneo de la Fundación Judith RSe Não Neste Tempo – Pintura Alemã Contemporânea: 1989-2010 - Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand - MASP, São Pauloothschild - IVAM - Institut Valencià d'Art Modern, Valencia
“Happy End,” Kunsthalle Göppingen, Göppingen
“Jeder Künstler ist ein Mensch,” Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden, Baden-Baden
“Taking Place,” Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Amsterdam
“Transzendenz Inc.” Autocenter, Berlin
“Wahrheit ist Arbeit,” Villa Schöningen, Potsdam
“FischGrätenMelkStand,” Temporäre Kunsthalle Berlin, Berlin (closed, 2010)
“Mike Kelley / Martin Kippenberger,” Galería Juana de Aizpuru, Madrid
“Pop Life: Art in a Material World,” National Gallery of Canada - Musée des beaux-arts du Canada, Ottawa, ON
“Modèles modèles 2,” Mamco - musée d´art moderne et contemporain, Geneva
“TWENTY FIVE,” Luhring Augustine Gallery, New York City, NY
“The Fate of Irony,” KAI 10 Raum für Kunst , Dusseldorf
“So Be It: Interventions in Printed Matter,”Andrew Roth Gallery, New York City, NY
“Man Son 1969. Vom Schrecken der Situation,” Villa Merkel & Bahnwärterhaus, Esslingen
“Amor Parvi oder Die Liebe zum Kleinen,” Kunstverein Langenhagen, Langenhagen
“Pop Life - Warhol, Haring, Koons, Hirst, …,” Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg
2009
“Just what is it...,” ZKM | Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe
“CThe Irreverent Object,” Luhring Augustine Gallery, New York City, NYarte Blanche “IX: >Vor heimischer Kulisse<,”Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst - GfZK, Leipzig
2002
“En Route,” Serpentine Gallery, London
2001
“Wechselstrom- Alternating Current,” Sammlung Hauser und Wirth, St. Gallen, Switzerland
“Televisions,” Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna, Austria (cat.)
“ABBILD: Recent Portraiture and Depiction,” Landesmuseum Joanneum, Graz, Austria (cat.)
"Painting at the Edge of the World," Walker Art Center, Minneapolis (cat.)
2000
"Lost," Ikon Gallery, Birmingham
"Let's Entertain," Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, (cat.); Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; Portland Art Musuem, Oregon; Museo Rufino Tamayo, Mexico City, Mexico (cat.); Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Wolfsburg, Germany (2001); Miami Art Museum, Miami (2001)"Carnegie International 1999/2000," Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh (cat.)
The Sydney Biennale 2000 (cat.)
"Many Colored Objects Placed Side by Side to Form a Row of Many Colored Objects", Casino Luxembourg, Belgium (cat.)
“Open Ends,” Museum of Modern Art, New York
1999
"Double Lives," Institut de Cultura de Barcelona (cat.)
"Millennium My Eye!" Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal
"Examining Pictures," Whitechapel Art Gallery, London; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago (cat.)
The Venice Biennale, Venice (cat.)
1997
"Documenta X," Kassel (cat.)
"Skupturenprojekt," Munster (cat.)
"Display," The Charlottenborg Exhibition Hall, Copenhagen
"Deep Storage: Arsenale der Erinnerung," Haus der Kunst, Munich;Nationalgalerie SMPK, Berlin; Kunstmuseum Dusseldorf im Ehrenhof; P.S.1 Center for Contemporary Art, New York; Henry Art Gallery, Seattle (cat.)
1996
"Everything that's interesting is new: The Dakis Joannou Collection" (organized by the DESTE Foundation, in conjunction with The Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen), Athens School of Fine Arts "the factory
"Martin Kippenberger's Villa Hugel for the spirit of the times," Villa Merkel, Galerien der Stadt Esslingen, Pulverwiesen, Esslingen am Neckar, Germany
1994
"Steirischer Herbst '94," Grazer Kunstverein, Graz, Austria
"The Century of the Multiple: From Duchamp to the Present," Deichtorhallen, Hamburg
"Temporary Translation(s): Sammlung Schurmann," Deichtorhallen Hamburg (cat.)
"Cocido y Crudo," Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid (cat.)
1993
“Artist's Books," Museum Haus Lange und Haus Esters, Krefeld
"Travelogue," Hochschule fuer Angewandte Kunst, Vienna
1992
"Ars Pro Domo," Ludwig Museum, Cologne
"Allegories of Modernism- Contemporary Drawing," Museum of Modern Art, New York (cat.)
"Post Human," Musée d'Art Contemporain, Pully/Lausanne, Switzerland; Castello di Rivoli, Turin; Deste Foundation, Athens; Israel Museum, Jerusalem; Deichtorhallen, Hamburg (cat.)
"Avantgarde & Kampagne," Staedtische Kunsthalle Dusseldorf
"Qui, Quoi, Ou?" Musee d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
"Malen ist Wahlen," Kunstverein Munich (cat.)
"German Photography," Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; Guggenheim Museum, New York; Lannan Foundation, Los Angeles
1991
"Objects for an Ideal Home," Serpentine Gallery, London
"Buchstaeblich," Von der Heydt Museum, Wuppertal, Germany
1990
"Le Disenchantement du Monde," Villa Arson, Nice
"Artificial Nature," Deste Foundation for Contemporary Art at: The House of Cyprus, Athens (cat.)
"Pharmacon-90," Nippon Convention Center, Makuhari Fair, Nakase, Japan
1989
"Investigations," Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
"Sammlung F.C. Gundlach," Kunstverein in Hamburg (cat.)
"I Triennal de Dibuix Joan Miro," Joan Miro Foundation, Barcelona
1988
"Aperto 88," Venice Biennale (cat.)
"Refigured Painting: The German Image 1960-88," Toledo Museum of Art; Guggenheim Museum, New York; Kunstmuseum Dusseldorf; and Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt (cat.)
1987
"Berlinart 1961-1987," The Museum of Modern Art, New York (cat.)
"Buttner Oehlen Oehlen Kippenberger," Villa Arson, Nice; Centre National d'Art Contemporain, Grenoble (cat.)
"Broken Neon," Steirischer herbst 87-Forum, Stadtpark, Graz
"Room Enough -- Sammlung Schurrmann," Suermondt - Ludwig Museum, Aachen, Germany (cat.)
"Fotografie," Groninger Museum, The Netherlands
1985
"Das Selbsportrait im Zeitalter der Photographie," Wurttembergischer Kunstverein, Stuttgart
"Anniottanta," Gallerie Communale d'Arte, Moderna di Bologna (cat.)
1984
"Wahrheit ist Arbeit," Museum Folkwang, Essen
"Zwischenbilanz," Neue Galerie am Joanneum, Graz; Museum Villa Stuck, Munich; Forum fur Aktuelle Kunst/Galerie Krinzinger, Innsbruck; Rheinisches
"Tiefe Blicke," Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt
"Kunstlandschaft Bundesrepublik," Kunstverein in Hamburg