Martin Kippenberger (Germany, 1953-1997), was a prominent visual artist whose art historical relevance and current influence continues to grow. Kippenberger set up studio in Cologne in 1983, where he worked closely with Albert Oehlen and Michael Krebber, and had a lasting impact on the art scene even after he left for Los Angeles in 1989. He was often the subject of his own work, regularly using his image, painting himself as Pablo Picasso, photographing himself holding his work or posing as the stranded figures in Théodore Géricault's painting, Raft of the Medusa.