Kippenberger at Moca Los Angeles

It was interesting to see a fellow German artist, whose work spans from the fifties to the nineties, during a recent visit to the LA Museum of Contemporary Art.

I remember another German artist, Nikolaus von Georgi, once telling me, that German art mirrors German history and events in a remarkable manner: After the second world war, the trauma of war, deaths, the massive collective guilt and the destruction throughout the country was visible in art as artists worked in dark, grungy and morbid imagery and techniques. Then in the late 60ies, Germans - and German art - found a 'new life'. Paintings became brighter, cleaner more positive and almost 'fun'. After a couple of decades, art bounced back and found a balance, as indeed the German people had found balance and stability.

The retrospective exhibition of Kippenberger's work, did indeed show that my colleagues interpretation and observation is generally accurate. It was inspiring and delightful to see his work at the MOCA.

Go to the MOCA website to read the official description and announcement of this show.