Martin Kippenberger

Galerie Gisela Capitain, Cologne
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Cologne, Galerie Max Hetzler; Nice, Villa Arson, Galerie Carrée; Santa Monica, Galerie Luhring Augustine Hetzler; New York, Metro Pictures, Martin Kippenberger, 1989-90, n.p., illustrated (edition number unknown)
Esslingen, Galerie der Stadt Esslingen am Neckar, Villa Merkel, Vergessene Einrichtungsprobleme in der Villa Hügel, 1996, n.p., illustrated (installation view; edition number unknown)
London, Tate Modern; Dusseldorf, Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen K21, Martin Kippenberger, p. 98-99 (installation view; edition number unknown)
Los Angeles, The Museum of Contemporary Art; New York, The Museum of Modern Art, Martin Kippenberger. The Problem Perspective, 2008-09, p. 181 (installation view; edition number unknown)

Angelika Muthesius, Ed., Martin Kippenberger, Ten Years After, Cologne 1991, p. 118, illustrated in colour (installation view; edition number unknown)
Angelika Taschen, Ed., Martin Kippenberger, Cologne 1997, p. 138, illustrated in colour (installation view; edition number unknown)

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although it fails to convey the shimmering nature of the metal visible in the original. Condition: This work is in very good condition. Close inspection reveals a number of scratches and rubmarks in isolated places, which are likely to be inherent to the artist's choice of media.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The two present works were created by Martin Kippenberger in reference to the 'Lord Jim Loge', a movement that was founded in 1991 by Kippenberger as well as other celebrated artists and authors such as Jörg Schlick, Albert Oehlen and Wolfgang Bauer. Keiner hilft Keinem refers to the motto of the group, which could be translated into “No one helps anyone”. The movement defined itself as a “Männerbund des genuinen Widerstands gegen Denk- und Verhaltensschablonen”, a group of gentlemen that broke with conservative and old-fashioned patterns of behaviour and thinking so to speak. A magazine named “Sonne Busen Hammer” (Sun Breasts Hammer) served as their central organ and has been published fourteen times between 1991 and 1996. The group was named after the protagonist of a novel by Joseph Conrad, who, for them, embodied an eternal loser that would not let go of his idealistic values.

Whereas the Keiner hilft Keinem work possibly served as the entrance pillars for the meeting room of Lord Jim Loge, the other work displays a composition of the “Sonne Busen Hammer” symbol, a bottle and glass of Coca-Cola, with the title itself. The group’s declared goal was to make the signet, which they designed together, more known than the one of the soft drink brand depicted in the picture. Due to the international recognition received by the oeuvres of Kippenberger, Oehlen and Schlick, the Lord Jim Loge has already attained a high degree of notoriety. Nevertheless, the logo’s dissemination has remained – despite the international reputation that these artists have achieved – within the framework of the art system and its peripheral importance.

Known for his wry artistic wit and steadfast refusal to conform to convention, the present works are no exception to Martin Kippenberger’s examination of Germany's collective history through an artistic dialogue rife with humour and thought-provoking historical allusion. This attitude and the significance to Lord Jim Loge reverberates throughout his other works of the time, from his self-portraits from 1988, picturing the artist with a touching lack of vanity, to the celebrated ‘metro stations’ project, one that endeavored to create a worldwide subway system, whereby only fake entrances and ventilation ducts were actually built. Resisting any attempts at conventional definition and linearity, Kippenberger’s body of work challenges traditional art historical notions and concepts, providing an often mocking commentary on accepted cultural and social mores whilst subverting commonly accepted artistic expectations. As Alison Gingeras states, “Kippenberger was political, but that was not his central thesis; it was just another set of rules to exploit" (Alison M. Gingeras, ‘Kippenbergiana: Avant-Garde Value in Contemporary Painting’ in: Mark Holbern, Ed., The Triumph of Painting, London 2005, p. 6).