Lot 36 | Martin Kippenberger | Untitled (Yes)

Kippenberger's environment
Martin Kippenberger, who is close to the “Neuen Wilden” (New Wild Ones), is one of the most versatile German artists of the second half of the 20th century. He began his artistic training at the Hamburg Art Academy, where he studied from 1972 to 1976 under Rudolf Hausner and Franz Erhard Walther, among others. In 1978, he founded the exhibition project “Kippenbergers Büro” in Berlin together with Gisela Capitain and took over the management of the legendary music club SO36. He organized exhibitions and concerts and met Max Hetzler, who would later become his gallerist. In the tradition of Dada and Fluxus, Kippenberger worked to dismantle the traditional concept of art. With boundless energy, the artist created an extensive oeuvre from the 1970s until his untimely death in 1997, producing paintings and sculptures as well as installations and performances.

Yes!
The work offered here features an unusual portrait format. The image is defined by three rectangular fields in white, blue, and gray, with the paint applied thickly and unevenly. A large, roughly painted black-and-red “YES” dominates the white surface. The lettering appears spontaneous and provocative, which is typical of Kippenberger's ironic and often subversive approach. The work can be interpreted as a commentary on the art world of the time and on social expectations, in that it signals approval on the one hand, but at the same time critically questions a kind of empty, conformist affirmation. The minimalist presentation and the striking text reflect Kippenberger's examination of language, power structures and the role of the artist as a provocateur.