A significant legal ruling has shaken the art world as a court in Munich has determined that painter Götz Valien must be recognized as the co-author of three renowned paintings alongside the celebrated Martin Kippenberger. The decision challenges the long-standing belief that Kippenberger was the sole creator of these works, potentially reshaping the narrative around these pieces and their historical significance.
Martin Kippenberger, a prominent figure in German art who passed away in 1997, was at the center of this legal battle. The disputed artworks are variations of the iconic “Paris Bar,” a representation of the beloved Berlin establishment where Kippenberger orchestrated an exhibition in response to being excluded from a 1991 Martin-Gropius-Bau museum show. These paintings hold sentimental value, showcasing Kippenberger’s art in a setting he shared with his friends. Notably, the Paris Bar works have been esteemed for their artistic and monetary value, with one fetching £2.3 million at a London auction in 2009, and another now owned by renowned French collector François Pinault.
Of the three Paris Bar paintings, two bore only Kippenberger’s signature, while the third, created in 2010, was attributed to Valien. However, the recent lawsuit unveiled that all three works were executed by Valien, who contended that he had produced the paintings on commission while working for Werner-Werbung, an advertising imagery production company.
Valien’s legal team likened the case to a recent lawsuit in France involving sculptor Maurizio Cattelan. The French court had dismissed sculptor Daniel Druet’s claim of authorship for a piece depicting Adolf Hitler, ruling that he had been working for hire for Cattelan, thus designating Cattelan as the sole author. In a different outcome, the Munich court ruled in favor of Valien, acknowledging his creative contribution. The court’s verdict stated, “When creating the paintings, the plaintiff had enough leeway for his own creative work.”
Consequently, the Kippenberger estate is now required to recognize Götz Valien as a co-author of the Paris Bar paintings, altering the established attribution. Valien, on his part, will cease to exhibit the 2010 version solely under his name, acknowledging the shared authorship.
This landmark ruling not only challenges the traditional notions of artistic authorship but also raises questions about the collaborative nature of creative processes. As the art community grapples with this legal precedent, the legacy of Martin Kippenberger and the true extent of his collaborative works are subject to reevaluation.