Martin Kippenberger, a key figure in post-war German art, often intertwined life and art in a manner that provoked and challenged. One of his more provocative ventures was the purchase and renaming of a real gas station in Brazil to "Tankstelle Martin Bormann" in 1991. This essay delves into this unique artwork, exploring its implications within the broader themes of Kippenberger's oeuvre, particularly his complex relationship with Germany's historical memory and identity.
"Tankstelle Martin Bormann" stands out in Martin Kippenberger's portfolio for its literal integration into the everyday commercial landscape. By purchasing a functional gas station in Brazil and naming it after Martin Bormann-a high-ranking Nazi official closely associated with Adolf Hitler-Kippenberger transforms an ordinary site into a charged artistic statement. The gas station operated as a normal business, thereby embedding a layer of historical confrontation into a mundane commercial setting.
This act of naming not only highlights the artist's characteristic blend of life and art but also serves as a commentary on the normalization and commercialization of historical figures associated with atrocities. The presence of the gas station in a real, functional context invites patrons and passersby to engage with history in an unexpectedly direct manner. This juxtaposition of the everyday with the historical aims to provoke reflection on how history is absorbed or obscured in daily life.
Kippenberger's work is frequently characterized by its ironic and provocative nature. The decision to intertwine a controversial historical reference within a functional commercial enterprise exemplifies his approach to art as a medium for social commentary and historical reflection. By using the name "Martin Bormann," Kippenberger challenges the viewer to confront uncomfortable historical realities and the ways in which these realities are often commercially exploited or trivialized.
In broader terms, Kippenberger's actions can be seen as a critique of Vergangenheitsbewältigung, the process of coping with the past that Germany has grappled with post-World War II. The artist's use of a Nazi official's name in such a mundane and commercial context underscores the complexities of memory and identity in modern Germany, pointing out the ease with which history can become commodified.
