German artist Martin Kippenberger’s artistic reputation is as controversial as his personal one. Known for a career of provocative paintings and sculptures, his works have at once been extremely self-referential as they have been poignant and timely. His themes include everything from Germany’s Nazi past to religion to self-promotion, earning him a sort of mythic cult-status. … (read more)

German artist Martin Kippenberger’s artistic reputation is as controversial as his personal one. Known for a career of provocative paintings and sculptures, his works have at once been extremely self-referential as they have been poignant and timely. His themes include everything from Germany’s Nazi past to religion to self-promotion, earning him a sort of mythic cult-status.

One of his most provocative works, Feet First (1990), is a crucified frog that has been widely condemned by Catholics as offensive and inappropriate. Kippenberger was known for consistently pushing the boundaries of propriety and redefining ideas of what art is, and what artists can be. His prolific career is not marked by stylistic continuity but instead unified by the thought-provoking nature of his works, which has had an immense influence on younger artists seeking to emulate his "enfants terribles" persona and aesthetic.

Read more about Kippenberger in Alison M. Gingeras' essay The Triumph of Painting: KIPPENBERGIANA

Watch Part I of James Kalm's video of Martin Kippenberger's 2009 retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York [via jameskalm]:

Watch Part II of James Kalm's video of Martin Kippenberger's 2009 retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York [via jameskalm]:

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