A seminal artist of his generation, Martin Kippenberger’s genre-busting practice, brash yet keen critical intellect, and bombastic lifestyle continues to fascinate, challenge and inspire 18 years after his untimely death. As a post war artist following on from Abstract Expressionism, Pop, Minimalism and Conceptualism, Kippenberger felt the artist faced an increasing struggle to retain originality and authenticity. With characteristic verve, he tackled this challenge head on—taking on the history of art, the notion of the artist hero, the hallowed status of painting—and gifted us with a diverse body of work spanning paintings, drawings, sculptures and photographs in his short but prolific career. No figure or idea was safe from Kippenberger’s caustic critical eye, and no material too sacred or lowbrow for deployment.

The following group comprised of sculpture, collage and drawings, pulsate with originality and the manic energy of this singular talent. They include early examples of his Hotel drawings, made on hotel stationary, a series which Kippenberger continued until his death. These drawings include studies for his iconic Peter sculptures. In addition to these works, Opel Manta Sculpture, Kippenberger’s wooden dashboards, fashioned from the interior of the popular German car marque, demonstrate the artist’s wry sense of humor having been conceived through the joke“ What goes through the head of an Opel Manta driver when he drives into a tree?” Amongst the aforementioned are also his collage pieces which touch upon the artist’s multi-faceted approach to his art- combining various materials to produce works which are visually rich in texture. The featured group of works, which have originated from an important European collection, epitomize the radical nature of Kippenberger’s legacy.