Untitled

Kippenberger began exploring using the motif of a bird, tank and Santa Klaus figure in 1983. Some years later, the artist would create a body of work utilizing these elements and entitled them War Wicked series. Untitled is one of the early explorations within this series. Once again, Kippenberger makes clear in this painting, his unique, unmistakable place in contemporary art. Strongly imprinted as a German born by the trauma of Nazism, Kippenberger examines the larger issue of war by using irony as method of exploring this very sensitive subject. Kippenberger appears as a satirist, content to deal with the universe only from far above, correcting what he supposed to be its mistakes. In fact, in this picture, he is present, engaged, biased, and above all inconsistent in his chosen distance. The tank appears in all its power and absurdity as a male sexual organ. The use of the primary colors suggests an ultimate attempt to formulate and rethink the horror of the war. Juxtaposed as the wicked element, the bird allows the viewer to understand that Kippenberger is far from utilizing it as the common symbol of peace.