Photo © Tate (Matt Greenwood)
10 rooms in Media Networks
These rebellious and iconoclastic works reuse imagery from popular visual culture, including art by other artists
Throughout his career, Martin Kippenberger was serious about pushing the boundaries of artistic production, albeit in comic and subversive ways. He embraced various styles and mediums, from small drawings to large-scale installations. Creating these, he frequently used consumer items such as furniture and hotel stationery as well as borrowing images from popular culture. He once declared, ‘Every picture I see belongs to me the instant I understand it.’
Kippenberger’s trademarks, such as witty titles, kitsch imagery, and deliberately leaving mistakes visible, reflect his sense of humour and irony.
At the same time, Kippenberger sought to disrupt the weight of importance placed on the ‘hand of the artist’. He co-produced work with a global network of collaborators and assistants, shifting the traditional view of the individual artist as a sole producer.
The works in this room showcase these themes. The Raft of Medusa and Pop Art Calendar reference and repurpose paintings by other artists. Fred the Frog Rings the Bell and Untitled (Invention of a Joke) point to Kippenberger’s self-deprecating and comedic streak. A selection of self-designed exhibition posters showcases the artist’s enjoyment of self-promotion, provocation and visual appropriation.