KIPPENBERGER, Martin.

Anlehnungsbedürfnis 86.

15 black & white illus. on glossy stock. 81, [1] p. Small 8vo (150 x 96 mm.), pictorial softcover. Munich: Verlag Christoph Dürr, 1987.

A very rare artist’s book/exhibition catalogue by Martin Kippenberger (1953-97). Produced in the wake of his 1986 exhibition at Villa Stuck in Munich, it contains photographic reproductions of the sculptures shown, accompanied by texts composed by his friends Michael Krebber, Günther Förg, and Joachim Lottmann. According to Koch, this diminutive book was made in a relatively small edition of 500 copies. We could find just three copies in North America: Bard, Museum of Modern Art (NY), and Museum of Contemporary Art-LA.

“The idea for this book arose during the exhibition Thema Anlehnungsbedürfnis 86 [On the Theme of Being in Need of Contact 86] at the Villa Stuck in Munich in 1986. With concept and design by Martin Kippenberger, this artist book shows 15 sculptures (p. 13-44 and 79-81), all of them variations on the theme of a tilted bronze broomstick. The illustrations of the individual ‘Anlehnungsbedürftigen’ [those in Need of Contact] are all details of the ‘group photo’ on the cover…

“The book contains lead-set texts by Michael Krebber (‘Gedicht für einen Besen’ [Poem for a Broom], p. 5-8) Günther Förg (‘Realität & meine Liebe’ [Reality and My Love], p. 9-12) and Joachim Lottmann (‘Der Kippenberger. Romanfassung’ [The Kippenberger. A Novel], p. 45-78) and a list of the addresses of Martin Kippenberger’s ex-girlfriends, which may be seen as a reference to the title of the book.”–Koch.

A fine copy. Four examples in North American institutions.

❧ Uwe Koch, ed., Annotated Catalogue Raisonné of the books by Martin Kippenberger, 1977-1997 (2003) 48.