Martin Kippenberger was a German artist known for his extremely prolific output in a wide variety of styles and media, as well as his provocative and jester-like public persona. He was a central figure in the generation of German Neo-expressionist artists who rose to prominence in the 1980s. His work often contained biting social and political commentary, using humor and self-deprecation to critique the art world and society at large. He is considered one of the most influential German artists of the late 20th century.