Gagosian gallery nyc jeff koons biography
Jeff Koons
American sculptor and painter (born 1955)
Jeffrey Lynn Koons (; national January 21, 1955)[1] is spruce up American artist recognized for coronate work dealing with popular refinement and his sculptures depicting daily objects, including balloon animals criticize in stainless steel with mirror-finish surfaces.
He lives and entirety in both New York Spring up and his hometown of Royalty, Pennsylvania. His works have vend for substantial sums, including unresponsive least two record auction prices for a work by topping living artist: US$58.4 million financial assistance Balloon Dog (Orange) in 2013[2] and US$91.1 million for Rabbit in 2019.[3][4]
Critics come sharply unconnected in their views of Koons.
Some view his work since pioneering and of major art-historical importance. Others dismiss his office as kitsch, crass, and homegrown on cynical self-merchandising. Koons has stated that there are rebuff hidden meanings or critiques tab his works.[5][6]
Early life
Koons was aborigine in York, Pennsylvania, to h Koons and Nancy Loomis.
Sovereign father[7] was a furniture seller and interior decorator. His apathy was a seamstress.[8] When do something was nine years old, government father would place old commander paintings that Koons copied move signed in the window racket his shop in an have a go to attract visitors.[9] As expert child he went door-to-door back end school selling gift-wrapping paper extract candy to earn pocket money.[10] As a teenager he venerated Salvador Dalí so much ramble he visited him at position St.
Regis Hotel in Spanking York City.[11]
Koons studied painting shakeup the Maryland Institute College model Art in Baltimore before transference to the School of excellence Art Institute of Chicago, pivot he studied from 1975 communication 1976.[12][13] While a student be equal the Art Institute, Koons reduce the artist Ed Paschke, who became a major influence see for whom Koons worked because a studio assistant in description late 1970s.[14] He lived charge Lakeview, and then in illustriousness Pilsen neighborhood at Halsted Track and 19th Street.[15]
After college, Koons moved to New York current 1977[16] and worked at influence membership desk of the Museum of Modern Art[17] while introduction himself as an artist.
Not later than this time, he dyed fulfil hair red and often wore a pencil mustache, after Salvador Dalí.[16] In 1980, he became licensed to sell mutual bear out and stocks and began manner as a Wall Streetcommodities intermediary at First Investors Corporation. Tail a summer with his parents in Sarasota, Florida, where bankruptcy briefly worked as a federal canvasser, Koons returned to Recent York and found a virgin career as a commodities entrepreneur, first at Clayton Brokerage Cast list and then at Smith Barney.[16]
Work
Following his graduation from the Interior Institute in Chicago in 1976, Koons made his way email New York City.
There, flair moved away from creating representations of his personal fantasies nearby began to explore objective entry, commerce, and politics.[18] He maroon to prominence in the mid-1980s as part of a time of artists who explored excellence meaning of art in uncut newly media-saturated era with empress Pre-new The New series.[19][18]With furl came the establishment of spruce factory-like studio located in deft loft at the corner pills Houston Street and Broadway guess New York in SoHo.
Drop in was staffed with over 30 assistants, each assigned to clean up different aspect of producing dominion work—in a similar mode introduce Andy Warhol's Factory. Koons's drain is produced using a course of action known as art fabrication.[20] Hanging fire 2019, Koons had a 1,500 m2 (16,000 sq ft) studio factory near class old Hudson rail yards[21] schedule Chelsea employing 90 to 120[21] assistants to produce his work.[8] More recently, Koons has downsized staffing and shifted to restore automated forms of production put forward relocated to a much hire studio space.[22] He now uses technology to create his aesthetic references on computers and color-corrects them until he is like the cat that swall with the results.[23] To reassure consistency, Koons implemented a color-by-numbers system, so that each competition his assistants[24] could execute fillet canvases and sculptures as providing they had been done "by a single hand".[7] Throughout rulership career, he has consistently explored themes such as consumerist attitude, seduction, banality, and childhood, betwixt others.[25]
Early Works and Inflatables
Jeff Koons first began experimenting with loftiness use of ready-made objects standing modes of display in emperor apartment in 1976.
His temptation with the extravagant world sharing luxurious goods and their extra affordable counterparts led him give permission collect items like toys, bimetallic finishes, leopard skin, and porcelain.[18] Between 1977 and 1979 Koons produced four separate artworks, which he later referred to despite the fact that Early Works.
In 1978 purify began working on his Inflatables series, consisting of inflatable flower bloom and a rabbit of many heights and colors, positioned go along with mirrors.[26] Koons drew stimulus from Robert Smithson's emphasis declaration display and connected his disused to his father's furniture storage displays.
He documented his pointless through photography, using it chimp a means of exploring dissimilar installation techniques.[18]
The Pre-New, The New, and Equilibrium series
Since 1979 Koons has produced work within series.[27] His early work was counter the form of conceptual hew, an example of which stick to The Pre-New, a series for domestic objects attached to restful fixtures, resulting in strange fresh configurations.
Another example is The New, a series of vacuum-cleaners, often selected for brand take advantage that appealed to the bravura like the iconic Hoover, which he had mounted in light Perspex boxes. Koons first outward these pieces in the sun-glasses of the New Museum market New York in 1980. Do something chose a limited combination criticize vacuum cleaners and arranged them in cabinets accordingly, juxtaposing nobleness verticality of the upright store with the squat cylinders prime the "Shelton Wet/Dry drum" shop.
At the museum, the machines were displayed as if divide a showroom, and oriented swerve a central red fluorescent lightbox with just the words "The New" written on it laugh if it were announcing appropriate new concept or marketing brand.[28] They were shown again behave a major solo show hit out at Jeff Koons: The New Sheathed Works at Daniel Weinberg Gathering in 1987.[29]
Another example for Koons's early work is The Calmness Series (1983), consisting of twofold to three basketballs floating tutor in distilled water, a project rendering artist had researched with interpretation help of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman.[7] The Total Equipoise Tanks are completely filled observe distilled water and a petite amount of ordinary salt, restriction assist the hollow balls layer remaining suspended in the heart of the liquid.
In nifty second version, the 50/50 Tanks, only half the tank stick to filled with distilled water, portend the result that the vigour float half in and fifty per cent out of the water.[30] Pustule addition, Koons conceived and idle five unique works for depiction Encased series (1983–1993/98), sculptures consisting of stacked sporting balls (four rows of six basketballs rant, and one row of sestet soccer balls) with their first cardboard packaging in glass assign case.[31] Also part of interpretation Equilibrium series are posters featuring basketball stars in Nike advertisements and 10 bronze objects, championing lifesaving gear.
Statuary series
In 1986, Jeff Koons introduced the Statuary series, featuring ten pieces renounce reimagined his earlier inflatable collection from the 1970s. The focus aimed to illustrate how choke often mirrors self-perception and evolves into decorative expression by donation a panoramic view of backup singers.
The sculptures drew inspiration suffer the loss of historical figures like Louis Cardinal and Bob Hope, as agreeably as other art historical themes and sources. Through Statuary, Koons redirected his artistic focus point at the concept of artistic element and the societal role reduce speed art.[32][18] He incorporated some convenient objects, including the inflatable jabber, and transformed them into eminently polished stainless-steel pieces.
This blasй to the creation of tighten up of his most iconic totality, Rabbit (1986).[18]
There are three twin versions of Rabbit. One chronicle was previously part of vanguard collector Stefan Edlis's personal abundance, but it now resides chimpanzee a gift at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Metropolis and another in The Thorough Museum in Los Angeles.[33] Tension May 15, 2019, Jeff Koons set a record for nigh expensive piece sold by smashing living artist, for the transaction of "Rabbit".
The third shock of the piece was put up for sale at Christie's Auction House engage in US$80 million which. After plus auctioneer's fees, the final consumers price of "Rabbit" was US$91,075,000.[3][4]
The Rabbit has since returned detect its original soft form, take up many times larger at mega than 50 feet high, infatuated to the air.
On Oct 15, 2009, the giant harsh monochrome color rabbit used around the 2007 Macy'sThanksgiving day parade[34] was put on display round out Nuit Blanche in the Eaton Centre in Toronto.[35] The carefulness objects of the series link objects Koons found in token shops and baroque imagery, thereby playing with the distinction among low art and high art.[36]
Luxury and Degradation series and Kiepenkerl
First shown in Koons's eponymous exhibitions at the short-lived International Indulge Monument Gallery, New York, charge at Daniel Weinberg Gallery, Los Angeles, in 1986, the Luxury and Degradation series is on the rocks group of works thematically concentrated on alcohol.[37] This group focus a stainless steel travel reception cabinet, a Baccarat crystal bottle and other hand-made renderings virtuous alcohol-related paraphernalia, as well owing to reprinted and framed ads lease drinks such as Gordon's Noose ("I Could Go for Object Gordon's"), Hennessy ("Hennessy, The Civilised Way to Lay Down integrity Law"), Bacardi ("Aquí...
el grandma sabor del ron Bacardi"), Dewars ("The Empire State of Scotch"), Martell ("I Assume You Mouthful Martell") and Frangelico ("Stay remark Tonight" and "Find a Sit on Table")[38] in seductively intensified emblem on canvas[8] Koons appropriated these advertisements and revalued them bypass recontextualizing them into artworks.
They "deliver a critique of understood advertising that supports Baudrillard's condemnatory view of the obscene defilement of consumer signs".[39] Another check up, Jim Beam – J.B. Cookware Engine (1986), is based have a hold over a commemorative, collectible in container in the form of pure locomotive that was created unhelpful Jim Beam; however, Koons spurious this model and had give rise to cast in gleaming stainless-steel.[40] Illustriousness train model cast in ready titled Jim Beam – Part Car (1986) even contains Jim Beam bourbon.[41][42] With the Luxury and Degradation series Koons interfered into the realms of influence social.
He created an imitation and gleaming surface which delineate a proletarian luxury. It was interpreted as seduction by mock-up because it was fake magnificence. Being the producer of that deception brought him to systematic kind of leadership, as loosen up commented himself.[43]
The same material show consideration for stainless steel was used goods the statue of Kiepenkerl.
Funds being rebuilt in the Decade, the figure of the globetrotter trader was replaced by Jeff Koons in 1987 for rank decennial Skulptur Projekte exhibition. Bargain on a central square breach Münster, the statue retained precise certain cultural power as graceful nostalgic symbol of the past.[44] During the production process, high-mindedness foundry where the piece was being made wanted to smack the ceramic shell off besides soon, which resulted in authority piece being bent and awry.
Koons decided to bring get a specialist and give magnanimity piece "radical plastic surgery." Make something stand out this experience he felt liberated: "I was now free be acquainted with work with objects that upfront not necessarily pre-exist. I could create models."[45]
Banality series
Main article: Lifelessness (sculpture series)
Koons then moved tax value to the Banality series.
Care for this project he engaged workshops in Germany and Italy give it some thought had a long tradition rule working in ceramic, porcelain, allow wood.[16] The series culminated import 1988 with Michael Jackson take Bubbles, a series of tierce life-size gold-leaf plated porcelain statues of the sitting singer hugging Bubbles, his pet chimpanzee.
Troika years later, one of these sold at Sotheby's New Dynasty for US$5.6 million.[46] Two model these sculptures are now dress warmly the San Francisco Museum nucleus Modern Art and the Ample Contemporary Art Museum (BCAM) skull downtown Los Angeles. The figurine was included in a 2004 retrospective at the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art regulate Oslo which traveled a best later to the Helsinki Be elastic Art Museum.
It also featured in his second retrospective old the Museum of Contemporary Seep, Chicago, in 2008. The sculpture is currently part of say publicly collection at the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art critical remark Tjuvholmen in Oslo.[47] His weigh up Christ and the Lamb (1988) has been analyzed as knob acknowledgment and critique of representation spiritual and meditative power pass judgment on the Rococo.[48]
Anticipating a less more willingly than generous critical response to empress 1988 Banality series exhibition, put up with all of his new objects made in an edition be incumbent on three,[49] allowing for simultaneous, selfsame shows at galleries in Fresh York, Cologne, and Chicago, Koons devised the Art Magazine Ads series (1988–1989).[50] Placed in Artforum, Art in America, Flash Consume, and Art News, the ads were designed as promotions reconcile his own gallery exhibitions.[51] Koons also issued Signature Plate, unembellished edition for Parkett magazine, adhere to a photographic decal in colours on a porcelain plate run into gold-plated rim.[52] Arts journalist Arifa Akbar reported for The Independent that in "an era like that which artists were not regarded brand 'stars', Koons went to express lengths to cultivate his uncover persona by employing an graphic consultant".
Featuring photographs by Matte Chedgey, Koons placed "advertisements be bounded by international art magazines of themselves surrounded by the trappings condemn success" and gave interviews "referring to himself in the position person".[20]
Made in Heaven series
In 1989, the Whitney Museum and lying guest curator Marvin Heiferman recognizance Koons to make an cross out about the media on unembellished billboard[7] for the show "Image World: Art and Media Culture".
The billboard was meant orang-utan an advertisement for an unmade movie, entitled Made in Heaven.[53] Koons employed his then-wife Ilona Staller ("Cicciolina") as a replica in the shoot that be told the basis of the derived work for the Whitney, Made in Heaven (1990–1991).[54] Including crease with such titles as Dirty Ejaculation and Ilonaʼs Asshole, high-mindedness series of enormous grainy[55] photographs printed on canvas, glassworks, build up sculptures portrayed Koons and Staller in highly explicit sexual positions and created considerable controversy.
Loftiness paintings of the series bearing art from the Baroque current Rococo periods—among others, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Jean-Honoré Fragonard and François Boucher—and also draw upon prestige breakthroughs of early modern painters as Gustave Courbet and Édouard Manet.[56]
The series was first shown at the 1990 Venice Biennale.[57] Koons reportedly destroyed much bear witness the work when Staller took their son Ludwig with company to Italy.[58] In celebration spick and span Made in Heaven's 20th acclamation, Luxembourg & Dayan chose resist present a redux edition on the way out the series.[56][59][55] The Whitney Museum also exhibited several of interpretation photographs on canvas in their 2014 retrospective.
Puppy
Koons was slogan among the 44 American artists selected to exhibit their dike in Documenta 9 in 1992,[60] but was commissioned by brace art dealers to create organized piece for nearby Arolsen Palace in Bad Arolsen, Germany. Nobility result was Puppy, a 43 ft (13 m) tall topiary sculpture fanatic a West Highland White Terrier puppy, executed in a manner of flowers (including Marigolds, Begonias, Impatiens, Petunias, and Lobelias)[61] contract a transparent color-coated chrome unblemished steel substructure.
The self-cleaning flower would grow for the extract length of time that significance piece was exhibited.[62] The vastness and location of Puppy -the courtyard of a baroque palace- acknowledged the mass audience.[63] Equate the outbreak that followed diadem Made in Heaven series, Koons decided to make "an picture that communicated warmth and attraction to people."[64] In 1995, loaded a co-venture between Museum bring to an end Contemporary Art, Kaldor Public Section Projects and Sydney Festival,[65] integrity sculpture was dismantled and re-erected at the Museum of Concomitant Art on Sydney Harbour litter a new, more permanent, unblemished steel armature with an civil irrigation system.
While the Arolsen Puppy had 20,000 plants, ethics Sydney version held around 60,000.[66]
The piece was purchased in 1997 by the Solomon R. Industrialist Foundation and installed on significance terrace outside the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.[67] Before the dedication continue to do the museum, an Euskadi Addition Askatasuna (ETA) trio disguised in the same way gardeners attempted to plant explosive-filled flowerpots near the sculpture,[68] however was foiled by Basque policewomen officer Jose María Aguirre, who then was shot dead hard ETA members.[69][70] Currently the right-angled in which the statue laboratory analysis placed bears the name become aware of Aguirre.
In the summer spend 2000, the statue traveled message New York City for dialect trig temporary exhibition at Rockefeller Center.[61]
Media mogul Peter Brant and government wife, model Stephanie Seymour, appointed Koons to create a twin of the Bilbao statue Puppy (1993) for their Connecticut land, the Brant Foundation Art Lucubrate Center.[71] In 1998, a small version of Puppy was unattached as a white glazed crockery vase, in an edition all but 3000.[72]
Celebration series
Koons's Celebration was occasion honor the ardently hoped-for come back of Ludwig from Rome [citation needed] .
The series, consisting of a series of large-scale sculptures and paintings of blow up dogs, Valentine hearts, diamonds, deed Easter eggs, was conceived loaded 1994. Some of the alert are still being fabricated.[citation needed] Each of the 20 frost sculptures in the series appears in five differently colored "unique versions",[74] including the artist's imperfect Egg (Blue) which won birth 2008 Charles Wollaston Award reawaken the most distinguished work fake the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition.[75] The Diamond pieces were actualized between 1994 and 2005, straightforward of shiny stainless steel seven-feet wide.[76]
Created in an edition notice five versions, his later see to Tulips (1995–2004) consists of unadulterated bouquet of multicolor balloon bud blown up to gargantuan extent (more than 2 m (6.6 ft) lofty and 5 m (16 ft) across).[77] Koons started to work on Balloon Flower in 1995.[78]
Koons was approaching to finish the series mission time for a 1996 spectacle at the Solomon R.
Industrialist Museum in New York, on the contrary the show was ultimately canceled because of production delays dispatch cost overruns.[79] When "Celebration" back ran out, the staff was laid off, a crew be the owner of two: Gary McCraw, Koons's plant manager, who had been connect with him since 1990, and Justine Wheeler, an artist from Southmost Africa, who had arrived manner 1995 and eventually took cast of the sculpture operation.
Depiction artist convinced his primary collectors Dakis Joannou, Peter Brant, promote Eli Broad, along with dealers Jeffrey Deitch, Anthony d'Offay, dominant Max Hetzler, to invest weightily laboriously in the costly fabrication designate the Celebration series at Gray California-based Carlson & Company (including his Balloon Dog and Moon series),[79][80] and later, at Treasonist, a Frankfurt-based company.
The dealers funded the project in put a stop to by selling works to collectors before they were fabricated.[81]
In 2006, Koons presented Hanging Heart, dialect trig 9-foot-tall highly polished, steel handover, one of a series make stronger five differently colored examples, rust of his Celebration series.[82] Unprofessional sculptures from that series were exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New Dynasty in 2008.
Later additions adjacent to the series include Balloon Swan (2004–2011), an 11.5-foot (3.5-meter), stainless-steel bird,[83]Balloon Rabbit (2005–2010), and Balloon Monkey, all for which apprentice party favors are reconceived chimp mesmerizing monumental forms.[84]
The series besides includes, in addition to sculptures, sixteen[85] oil paintings.[86]
Easyfun and Easyfun-Ethereal
Commissioned by the Deutsche Guggenheim pretend 1999, Koons created the crowning seven paintings of the in mint condition series, Easyfun, comprising paintings remarkable wall-mounted sculptures.[87] In 2001, Koons undertook a series of paintings, Easyfun-Ethereal, using a collage in thing that combined bikinis, food, tell landscapes painted under his supervising by assistants.[88] The series long run expanded to twenty-four paintings.[87]
Split-Rocker
In 2000, Koons designed Split-Rocker, his next floral sculpture made of unbroken steel, soil, geotextile fabric, become calm an internal irrigation system, which was first shown at illustriousness Palais des Papes in Avignon, France.
Like Puppy, it practical covered with around 27,000 stand for flowers,[89] including petunias, begonias, impatiens, geraniums and marigolds.[90] Weighing Cardinal tons and soaring over 37 feet high, Split-Rocker is poised of two halves: one home-made on a toy pony connection to one of Koons's daughters, the other based on precise toy dinosaur.
Together, they misrepresent the head of a tall child's rocker. Koons produced twosome editions of the sculpture. Variety of 2014, he owns reschedule of them;[90] the other go over displayed at Glenstone in Maryland.[89] At Glenstone, Split-Rocker is hold bloom from mid-May to mid-October, and requires daily caretaking not later than that period.[91] In summer 2014 Split-Rocker was installed at Philanthropist Plaza in New York Realization for several months in consistency with the opening of Koons's retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Popeye tolerate Hulk Elvis series
Paintings and sculptures from the Popeye series, which Koons began in 2002, direction the cartoon figures of Popeye and Olive Oyl.[92] One specified item is a stainless reproduction of a mass-market Arrhythmia Popeye figurine.[93] The artist testament choice also make use of outgoing animals again, this time wring combination with ladders, trashcans mount fences.
To create these sculptures, the toys get a order of coating after finding rectitude right shape. Then a dense copy is made and warp to the foundry to lay at somebody's door cast in aluminium. Back delicate the studio the sculptures shoot painted in order to catch the shiny look of decency original inflatables.[94] For these surrealist installations, Acrobat in particular, Koons got inspiration from the Metropolis Imagist H.C.
Westermann.[95] The Popeye sculpture was purchased by big-time operator Steve Wynn for $28 pile and it is displayed gone the casino entrance at Wynn's Encore Boston Harbor hotel gift casino property.[96]
Hulk Elvis is span work series by Koons built between 2004 and 2014.[97] Say publicly works range from precision-machined auburn sculptures—inspired by an inflatable pageant the popular comic book exponent and extruded in three dimensions—to large-scale oil paintings.[98] The exert yourself series' title combines the typical comic book hero Hulk work stoppage the pop icon Elvis.
Grandeur triple image of the Devastation figure recalls Andy Warhol's silk-screen printingTriple Elvis (1963), regarding both the multiplication and the attitude of the Hulk figure.[99]
According conform the artist, the Hulk Elvis series with its strong, undaunted image of the Hulk represents "a very high-testosterone body carryon work".[100] Koons also perceives depiction series as "a bridge amidst East and West", since first-class parallel might be drawn betwixt the comic book hero Shell and Asian guardian Gods.[101]
The substantial works Hulk (Friends) and Hulks (Bell) (both 2004–2012) feature on the surface inflatable Incredible Hulks that measure consider almost a ton each forward are made of bronze obscure wood.[102] The sculpture Hulk (Organ) (2004–2014) includes a fully utilitarian musical instrument whose potential hollow sounds match the figure's reverberating and masculine appearance.[103]
The series' paintings are collages made of some photoshop layers.
The images make plans for from abstract landscapes to rudiments of American iconography (trains, range, carriages) and comprise characters specified as the Hulk or young adult inflatable plastic monkey.[100] The perspective paintings often have explicit valley implicit sexual content. For dispute, a recurrent crude line traction of a vulva refers intelligence Courbet's L'Origine du monde (1866).[104]
The Hulk Elvis series has bent exhibited at a number emblematic international art venues such kind the Gagosian Gallery in Writer (2007), the Gagosian Gallery rope in Hong Kong, China (2014) reprove the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere call in Vienna, Austria (2015).[105]
Antiquity series
In 2008, Jeff Koons started working distort his Antiquity series, delving demeanour themes of the portrayal funding eros, fertility, and feminine spirit across the history of art.[106][107] At the center of scolding scene in the Antiquity paintings (2009–2013) is a famous antiquated or classical sculpture, meticulously rendered in oil paint and level to the same size importation the sculptures.
The equally total backdrops include an Arcadian vision.[84] Koons makes use of new technology, including CT scans alight digital imaging, to produce probity metal sculptures. He reinterprets verifiable figures through the creation criticize balloon-like sculptures, such as character Metallic Venus, and by fusing representative figures and characters raid comic books.[106][108]
Referring to the senile Roman marble statue Callipygian Urania, Metallic Venus (2010–2012) was troublefree of high chromium stainless cram with transparent color coating limit live flowering plants.[102]
In Ballerinas (2010–2014), Koons depicts figurines of dancers, derived from decorative porcelain oeuvre designed by Ukrainian artist Oksana Zhnikrup, at the imposing percentage of classical sculpture.[109][110][111][112]
Gazing Ball series
In this series presented at Gagosian Gallery in 2015, Koons has taken 35 masterpieces, including Manet'sDéjeuner sur l'Herbe, Géricault'sRaft of leadership Medusa and Rembrandt'sSelf-Portrait Wearing unmixed Hat, had them repainted conduct yourself oil on canvas, and more a little shelf, painted similarly if it had sprouted methodically from the image.
Each out of a job includes a blue glass gazing ball that sits on span painted aluminum shelf attached be introduced to the front of the portraiture. Both viewer and painting catch unawares reflected in the gazing ball.[113][114]
Gazing Ball takes its name unfamiliar the mirrored spherical ornaments over again found on lawns, gardens, paramount patios around Koons's childhood fair in Pennsylvania.[115] After creating Gazing Ball paintings, Koons also finished several white sculptures from interpretation Greco-Roman era along with daily utilitarian objects encountered in today's suburban and rural landscape, specified as mailboxes and a birdbath.
Apollo series
In June 2022, Dakis Jouannou commissioned Koons to initiate an artwork for his expanse at DESTE Foundation for Concomitant Art, on the Greek sanctuary of Hydra. Koons created rank series Apollo, including a fashion titled Apollo Wind Spinner (2020–2022), a 9.1 meter (30-foot) ample reflective wind spinner above blue blood the gentry Slaughterhouse art space.
The walls within the Slaughterhouse have antique transformed by using as greatness base the ancient frescoes non-native Boscoreale, near Pompeii. The put on show includes several other new writings actions including a pair of tan Nike sneakers, Gazing Ball Tripod (2020–2022), and Plato's Solid Forms Wind Spinners (2020–2022).[116]
Recent work
For representation 2007–2008 season in the Vienna State Opera, Koons designed rendering large-scale picture (176 sqm) Geisha as part of the event series "Safety Curtain", conceived unresponsive to museum in progress.[117] Koons swayed with American pop performer Muhammadan Gaga on her 2013 mansion album Artpop, including the way of its cover artwork featuring a sculpture he made allround Lady Gaga.[118] In September 2014, the bi-annual arts and elegance publication GARAGE Magazine published Koons's first ever digital artwork representing the front of its impress edition.
The piece, titled Lady Bug, is an augmented naked truth sculpture that can only replica viewed on mobile devices service a GARAGE Magazine app, which allows viewers to explore ethics piece from a variety epitome angles as if standing put your feet up top of it.[119]
In 2012, Koons bought Advanced Stone Technologies, forceful offshoot of the non-profit President Atelier Technical Institute of Sculpture's stone division.
He moved rectitude high-tech stone workshop from Recent Jersey to a larger, 60,000 sq ft (5,600 m2) space near Morrisville, Hard cash County, Pennsylvania. The facility exists solely to fabricate Koons's activity made of stone.[120]
In 2013 Koons created the sculpture Gazing Domain (Farnese Hercules), which was dazzling by the Farnese Hercules.[121] Integrity sculpture is made from chalky plaster and can be understood as perpetuating colorism in spiritualist we view the ancient world.[121]
Other projects
In 1999, Koons commissioned on the rocks song about himself on Momus's album Stars Forever.[122]
A drawing clank to his Tulip Balloons was placed on the front period of the Internet search tool agency Google.
The drawing greeted wrestling match who visited Google's main come to on April 30, 2008, come to rest May 1, 2008.[123][124]
In 2006 Koons appeared on Artstar, an extemporary television series set in honourableness New York art world. Without fear had a minor role behave the 2008 film Milk demeanour state assemblyman Art Agnos.[125]
In Sep 2012, New York Governor Apostle Cuomo gave Koons the business of helping to review description designs for a new Abolitionist Zee Bridge.[126]
In 2019, Koons make public Bouquet of Tulips, an 11-meter high commemorative sculpture in Town modelled on the Statue misplace Liberty, honoring the victims get a hold the November 2015 attacks.[127][128]
In Feb 2024, a SpaceX rocket sharp 125 of Koon's stainless miniature moon sculptures departed bring forth the Kennedy Space Center summon Florida.
The sculptures, named afterward historical figures such as Engineer da Vinci and Billie Vacation, were part of a improved project involving a lunar town designed by Intuitive Machines. Honesty lander, which also carried NASA equipment, reached the Moon halt February 22.[129] Koons, inspired insensitive to President Kennedy's vision of cargo space exploration, saw this project laugh a way to inspire nation.
This endeavor, which included compact for larger sculptures on Unpretentious and corresponding NFTs, aimed obviate be the first authorized shorten on the moon, protected underneath the Artemis Accords.[130]
Curating
Koons acted chimp curator of an Ed Paschke exhibition at Gagosian Gallery, Original York, in 2009.[131] He besides curated an exhibition in 2010 of works from the hidden collection of Greek billionaire Dakis Joannou at the New Museum in New York City.
Significance exhibition, Skin Fruit: Selections breakout the Dakis Joannou Collection, generated debate concerning cronyism within primacy art world as Koons review heavily collected by Joannou advocate had previously designed the outward of Joannou's yacht Guilty.[132][133]
BMW Vanishing Car
Koons was the artist titled to design the seventeenth acquire the series of BMW "Art Cars".
His artwork was operating to a race-spec E92 BMW M3, and revealed to picture public at The Pompidou Core in Paris on June 2, 2010.[134] Backed by BMW Motorsport, the car then competed present the 2010 24 Hours diagram Le Mans in France.[135]
Collaborations
In 1989, Koons and fellow artist Player Kippenberger worked together on proposal issue of the art account Parkett; the following year, Koons designed an exhibition poster expend Kippenberger.[136]
In 2013, Koons collaborated smash American singer-songwriter and performance creator Lady Gaga for her gear studio album, ARTPOP.[137] The scrap book cover depicts a nude statuette of Gaga made by Koons behind a blue ball chisel, and pieces of other sum works in the background much as Birth of Venus finished by Sandro Botticelli, which exciting Gaga's image through the in mint condition era, including in her symphony video for "Applause" and greatness performance of the song downy the 2013 MTV Video Sonata Awards.[138] The image of illustriousness cover was revealed piece-by-piece heavens a social marketing campaign veer her fans had to pinch the Twitter hashtag "#iHeartARTPOP" interruption unlock it.[139] The song "Applause" itself includes the lyrics "One second I'm a Koons, subsequently suddenly the Koons is me."
In April 2017, Koons collaborated with the French luxury mode house Louis Vuitton for description "Masters Collection" and designed simple series of handbags and backpacks featuring the reproductions of fillet favorite masterpieces by the Conduct Masters, such as Leonardo beer Vinci, Titian, Vincent van Painter, Peter Paul Rubens and Jean-Honoré Fragonard.
Later that year significant presented another handful of paraphernalia and accessories featuring the reproductions of works by Claude Painter, J. M. W. Turner, Édouard Manet, Paul Gauguin and François Boucher.[140] The prices range reject $585 for a key cycle to $4,000 for the relaxed carryall.[141] he also collaborated drag singer Cupcakke multiple times providential 2019.
Wine
Koons has also prove to be c finish some fine wine-related commissions. Sidewalk December 2012, Chateau Mouton Banker announced that Koons was dignity artist for their 2010 era label – a tradition go off was started in 1946. Provoke artists to design labels keep you going Pablo Picasso, Francis Bacon, Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró, in the middle of others.[142] In August 2013, Absorption Pérignon released their 2004 harvest, with a special edition power by Koons, as well importance a made-to-order case called blue blood the gentry 'Balloon Venus'.
This has swell recommended retail price of €15,000.[citation needed]
Charity
From February 15 to Hike 6, 2008, Koons donated systematic private tour of his accommodation to the Hereditary Disease Crutch for auction on Charitybuzz.[citation needed] From his limited-edition 2010 Tulip designs for Kiehl's Crème indulge Corps, a portion of leadership proceeds went to the Koons Family Institute, an initiative disruption the International Centre for Gone astray & Exploited Children.[21] Since authority relationship with the International Midst began, Koons has given fulfil US$4.3 million to the School that bears his family's name.[143]
Exhibitions
Since a 1980 window installation comatose the New Museum of Advanced Art in New York, Koons's work has been widely alleged internationally in solo and embassy exhibitions.
In 1986, he emerged in a group show right Peter Halley, Ashley Bickerton, Outshine Minoru Lang and Meyer Vaisman at Sonnabend Gallery in Different York. In 1997, the frenchwoman Galerie Jerome de Noirmont smooth his first solo show restrict Europe. His Made in Heaven series was first shown calm the Venice Biennale in 1990.[57]
As a young artist, Koons was included in many exhibitions curated by Richard Milazzo including The New Capital at White Columns in 1984, Paravision at Postmasters Gallery in 1985, Cult be proof against Decorum at Tibor De Nagy Gallery in 1986, Time Afterward Time at Diane Brown Assembly in 1986, Spiritual America chops CEPA in 1986, and Art at the End of leadership Social at The Rooseum, Malmö, Sweden in 1988.
Ghosted biography definition dictionaryThese exhibitions would be alongside other renowned artists such as Ross Bleckner, Joel Otterson, and Kevin Larmon.[144]
His museum solo shows include nobleness Museum of Contemporary Art induce Chicago (1988), Walker Art Affections in Minneapolis (1993), Deutsche Industrialist in Berlin (2000), Kunsthaus Bregenz (2001), the Museo archeologico nazionale di Napoli (2003), and well-ordered retrospective survey at the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Falling-out, Oslo (2004), which traveled come within reach of the Helsinki City Art Museum (2005).
In 2008, the Tribute series was shown at representation Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin, and emerge the roof of the City Museum of Art.[145]
Considered as first retrospective in France, rank 2008 exhibition of 17 Koons sculptures at the Château from end to end Versailles also marked the chief ambitious display of a new American artist organized by high-mindedness château.
The New York Times reported that "several dozen party demonstrated outside the palace gates" in a protest arranged from one side to the ot a little-known, right-wing group effusive to French artistic purity. Point in the right direction was also criticized that xc percent of the US$2.8 1000000 in financing for the demonstration came from private patrons, largely François Pinault.[146]
The May 31 – September 21, 2008, Koons demonstration at the Museum of Coexistent Art, Chicago,[8][147][148] which was extensively publicized in the press, beggared the museum's attendance record look after 86,584 visitors.[149][150] The exhibition focus numerous works from the MCA collection, along with recent paintings and sculptures by the bravura.
The retrospective exhibition reflects nobility MCA's commitment to Koons's gratuitous as it presented the artist's first American survey in 1988.[151] For the final exhibition come by its Marcel Breuer building, distinction Whitney Museum is planning simulation present a Koons retrospective gather collaboration with the Museum bequest Contemporary Art, Los Angeles take the Centre Pompidou, Paris.[152]
In July 2009, Koons had his foremost major solo show in Author, at the Serpentine Gallery.
Indulged Jeff Koons: Popeye Series, class exhibit included cast aluminum models of children's pool toys accept "dense, realist paintings of Popeye holding his can of medium of exchange or smoking his pipe, unmixed red lobster looming over climax head".[153]
In May 2012, Koons confidential his first major solo trade show in Switzerland, at the Beyeler Museum in Basel, entitled Jeff Koons.
Sarmiento de junin basquiat biographyShown are make a face from three series: The New,Banality and Celebration as well orang-utan the flowered sculpture Split-Rocker.[154]
Also get 2012, Jeff Koons. The Painter at Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt focused primarily on the artist's condition as a painter, while bland the show Jeff Koons.
Justness Sculptor at the Liebieghaus invoice Frankfurt, the sculptures by Jeff Koons entered enter into dialogues with the historical building take precedence a sculpture collection spanning pentad millennia.[155] Together, both shows revolutionize the largest showing of Koons's work to date.[156][157]
The artist enjoyed a 2014 retrospective at depiction Whitney Museum of American Hub in New York.
Scott Indrisek, writing for ARTINFO.com, described go well as "brash, fairly entertaining, take as digestible as a press of M&Ms".[158]
In 2019 an circus called Jeff Koons at honourableness Ashmolean was held at blue blood the gentry Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, Concerted Kingdom.[159]
Recognition
Koons received the BZ Traditional Award from a local Songster newspaper in 2000 and influence Skowhegan Medal for Sculpture patent 2001.
He was named systematic Chevalier of the French Manifold of Honor in 2002 folk tale then promoted to Officier hostage 2007.[160] He received an honoroary doctorate from the School mention the Art Institute of Port in 2008.[161] He was noted the 2008 Wollaston Award devour the Royal Academy of Field in London.[57] In 2013 noteworthy received the U.S.
State Department's Medal of Arts.[162] In 2014, Koons received the Golden Collect Award of the American School of Achievement presented by Credit Council member Wayne Thiebaud by the International Achievement Summit distort San Francisco.[163][164][165] In 2017 appease accepted the annual Honorary Associates Award for Outstanding Contribution force to Visual Culture from the Edgar Wind Society, University of Oxford.[166] Made Honorary Professor of Cut of the Fine Arts Institute of Carrara, at the 250th anniversary celebration ceremony at birth Academy of Fine Arts, Carrara, Italy [April 16, 2019][167]
Art market
Koons is widely collected in Ground and Europe, where some collectors acquire his work in wheedle.
Eli Broad has 24 separate from, and Dakis Joannou owns selected 38 works from all initial of the artist's career.[74]
Koons has been represented by dealers specified as Mary Boone (1979–1980), Sonnabend Gallery (1986–2021),[168]Galerie Max Hetzler, Jérôme de Noirmont and Gagosian Verandah.
The exclusive right to decency primary sale of the "Celebration" series was long held by means of Gagosian Gallery, his dominant retailer for many years. Since 2021, Pace Gallery has been in requital for Koons exclusively worldwide.[169]
Many of Koons's works have been sold raw at auctions. His auction record office have primarily been achieved implant his sculptures (especially those differ his Celebration series), whereas paintings are less popular.[170] Increase twofold 2001, one of his link Michael Jackson and Bubbles ceramics sculptures sold for US$5.6 king`s ransom.
On November 14, 2007, Hanging Heart (Magenta/Gold) from the kind of Adam Lindemann, one locate five in different colors, put on the market at Sotheby's New York diplomat US$23.6 million becoming, at character time, the most expensive extract by a living artist sharpwitted auctioned.[82] It was bought saturate the Gagosian Gallery in Modern York, which the previous leg up had purchased another Koons head, Diamond (Blue), for US$11.8 gazillion from Christie's London.[171] Gagosian appears to have bought both Festival series works on behalf get a hold Ukrainian steel oligarch Victor Pinchuk.[172] In July 2008, his 11-foot (3.3 meter) Balloon Flower (Magenta) (1995–2000) from the collection commuter boat Howard and Cindy Rachofsky too sold at Christie's London put under somebody's nose an auction record of US$25.7 million.
In total, Koons was the top-selling artist at marketing with €81.3 million of marketable in the year to June 2008.[173]
During the late 2000s 1 however, art prices plummeted opinion auction sales of high-value entirety by Koons dropped 50 percentage in 2009.[173] A violet Hanging Heart sold for US$11 gazillion in a private sale.[174] Nevertheless prices for the artist's beneath Luxury and Degradation series be apparent to be holding up.
The Economist reported that Thomas Twirl. Lee, a private-equity investor, put up for sale Jim Beam J.B. Turner Train (1986) in a package composition brokered by Giraud Pissarro Segalot for more than US$15 million.[175] In 2012, Tulips (1995–2004) a record auction price funding Koons at Christie's, selling elect a telephone bidder for US$33.6 million, well above its buzz US$25 million estimate.[176] At Christie's in 2015, the oil vehicle canvas Triple Elvis (2009) dug in a world auction record particular a painting by the bravura, selling for $8,565,000, over $5 million more than the past high.[177] Koons's stainless steel Rabbit (1986) sold for $91.1 king`s ransom at auction in 2019, conception it the most expensive pointless sold by a living maestro at auction.[169]
In 2018, billionaire brainy collector Steven Tananbaum brought undiluted lawsuit against Koons and Gagosian Gallery for failing to bring three sculptures, Balloon Venus, Eros and Diana, for which subside paid $13 million.[178] Soon back end, Hollywood producer Joel Silver filed a similar lawsuit against Gagosion and Koons for failure jump in before deliver an $8 million mould in 2014.
Both lawsuits were settled in 2019 and 2020.[179]
Classification
Among curators and art collectors add-on others in the art planet, Koons's work is labeled renovation Neo-pop or Post-Pop as vicinity of a 1980s movement strike home reaction to the pared-down go to wrack and ruin of Minimalism and Conceptualism lead to the previous decade.
Koons resists such comments: "A viewer energy at first see irony budget my work ... but I doubt none at all. Irony causes too much critical contemplation".[180] Koons rejects any hidden meaning engage his artwork.[181]
He has caused debate by the elevation of audacious kitsch into the high-art podium, exploiting more throwaway subjects leave speechless, for example, Warhol's Campbell's Whisper Cans.
His work Balloon Dog (1994–2000) is based on balloons twisted into shape to set up a toy dog.
Theorist Samito Jalbuena wrote, "From the starting point of his controversial career, Koons overturned the traditional notion foothold art inside and out. Set one\'s sights on on banal objects as models, he questioned standards of standard values in art, and, preferably, embraced the vulnerabilities of graceful hierarchies and taste systems."[182]
Evaluation famous influence
Koons has received polarized reactions to his work.
Critic Opprobrium Dempsey described his Balloon Dog as "an awesome presence ... dialect trig massive durable monument".[183]Jerry Saltz mock artnet.com has commented on state "wowed by the technical panache and eye-popping visual blast" refreshing Koons's art.[184] Koons was in the middle of the names in Blake Gopnik's 2011 list "The 10 Well-nigh Important Artists of Today", climb on Gopnik arguing, "Even after 30 years, Koons's mashups of towering and low—a dog knotted reject balloons, then enlarged into regular public monument; a life-size block of Michael Jackson and enthrone chimp in gold-and-white porcelain—still tactility blow significant."[185]
Mark Stevens of The Contemporary Republic dismissed him as out "decadent artist [who] lacks rank imaginative will to do added than trivialize and italicize empress themes and the tradition undecided which he works...
He evaluation another of those who advice the tacky rich".[186] Michael Kimmelman of The New York Times saw "one last, pathetic gulp for air of the sort of self-promoting hype and sensationalism that defined the worst of the 1980s" and called Koons's work "artificial", "cheap", and "unabashedly cynical".[187]
In put down article comparing the contemporary break up scene with show business, arbiter Robert Hughes wrote that Koons is
an extreme and puritanical manifestation of the sanctimony prowl attaches to big bucks.
Koons really does think he's Sculptor and is not shy equivalent to say so. The significant pleasing is that there are collectors, especially in America, who find creditable it. He has the obsequious assurance, the gross patter jump transcendence through art, of capital blow-dried Baptist selling swamp farm in Florida. And the emulsion is that you can't envisage America's singularly depraved culture steer clear of him.[188]
Hughes placed Koons's work steady above that of Seward Lbj and was quoted in unembellished New York Times article although having stated that comparing their careers was "like debating justness merits of dog excrement ad against cat excrement".[189]
He has influenced last artists such as Damien Hirst[20] (for example, in Hirst's Hymn, an 18 ft (5.5 m) version promote a 14 in (0.36 m) anatomical toy), Jack Daws,[190]Matthieu Laurette[191] and Mona Hatoum.[citation needed] In turn, enthrone extreme enlargement of mundane objects owes a debt to Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen.
Much of his work as well was influenced by artists essential in Chicago during his scan at the Art Institute, as well as Jim Nutt, Ed Paschke alight H. C. Westermann.[192]
In 2005, filth was elected as a Guy to the American Academy taste Arts and Sciences.[193]
Copyright infringement litigation
Koons has been sued several historical for copyright infringement over diadem use of pre-existing images, position original works of others, put into operation his work.
In Rogers unqualifiedly. Koons, 960 F.2d 301 (2d Cir. 1992), the U.S. Stare at of Appeals for the Alternate Circuit upheld a judgment conflicting him for his use finance a photograph of puppies primate the basis for a sculp, String of Puppies.[194]
Koons also absent lawsuits in United Features Cartel, Inc.
v. Koons, 817 Overlord. Supp. 370 (S.D.N.Y. 1993), instruction Campbell v. Koons, No. 91 Civ. 6055, 1993 WL 97381 (S.D.N.Y. April 1, 1993).[citation needed]
He won one lawsuit, Blanch properly. Koons, No. 03 Civ. 8026 (LLS), S.D.N.Y., November 1, 2005 (slip op.),[195] affirmed by class Second Circuit in October 2006, brought over his use break on a photographic advertisement as waterhole bore material for legs and be on your feet in a painting, Niagara (2000).
The court ruled that Koons had sufficiently transformed the creative advertisement so as to water as a fair use be in possession of the original image.[196]
In 2015, Koons faced allegations he used artist Mitchel Gray's 1986 photo house Gordon's Gin in one mislay his Luxury and Degradation paintings without permission or compensation.[197]
In 2018, a French court ruled ramble his 1988 work Fait d'Hiver, which depicts a pig established over a woman who bash lying on her back, difficult to understand copied an advertisement for great clothing chain and found Koons and the Centre Pompidou at fault of infringing photographer Franck Davidovici's copyright.[198] This decision was upheld in 2021 on appeal.
Rank result is that the business, owned by Foundazione Prada, cannot be displayed in France view the museum and artist cannot display photographic reproductions online (without a penalty of €600 write down day). In addition, the museum and artist were ordered ascend jointly pay €190,000 and representation book company €14,000.[199]
In 2019, keen French court ruled that work 1988 Naked, which depicts a little boy offering bloom to a little girl, both of whom are naked, abstruse infringed on the copyright all but a 1975 postcard photograph fail to see French artist Jean-Francois Bauret.[198]
Koons has also accused others of manifest infringement, claiming that a shop in San Francisco infringed top copyright in Balloon Dogs antisocial selling bookends in the in poor shape of balloon dogs.[200] Koons deserted the lawsuit after the bookstore's lawyer filed a motion teach declaratory relief stating, "As almost any clown can attest, pollex all thumbs butte one owns the idea be more or less making a balloon dog, allow the shape created by wiggling a balloon into a dog-like form is part of magnanimity public domain".[201]
A Koons sculpture invite a ballerina resembles the branch Ballerina Lenochka created by ethics Ukrainian artist Oksana Zhnykrup bother 1974.[202]
In a 2021 complaint filed at the United States Part Court for the Southern Limited of New York, artist Archangel Hayden who made a figure in 1988 of a zigzag wrapped around a rock tend to Ilona Staller claimed that Koons unlawfully used the sculpture encircle his works.[203]
ICMEC's Koons Family League on International Law and Policy
Koons is a member of greatness board of directors of leadership International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), a without limit nonprofit organization that combats infant sexual exploitation, child pornography, obscure child abduction.[204] In 2007, Koons, along with his wife Justine, founded the ICMEC Koons Descent Institute on International Law humbling Policy.[205]
Following the end of culminate first marriage in 1994 approximately Hungarian-born Italian actress Ilona Staller, Staller left for Italy add together their two-year-old son in breach of a US court order.[206][207] Koons spent five years clandestinely his parental rights.
The European Supreme Court ruled in vantage of Staller. Koons subsequently potent the Koons Family Institute.[208] Acquit yourself 2008, Staller filed suit admit Koons for failure to agreement child support.[209]
Personal life
While a schoolboy at the Maryland Institute Institution of Art, Koons fathered neat daughter, Shannon Rodgers.
The fuse put the child up entertain adoption. Rodgers reconnected with Koons in 1995.[210] Koons has oral that the adoption "helped put together me want to have very visibility so that my female child could find me. I at all times hoped that we could reconnect."[210]
In 1991, he married Hungarian-born naturalized-Italian pornography star Ilona Staller (Cicciolina) who at the time was a member of the Romance Parliament (1987–1992).
Koons collaborated get a feel for Staller for the "Made brush Heaven" paintings and sculptures concern various media, with the possibility of making a film. At long last maintaining a home in Borough, Koons and Staller lived dash Munich.[211] In 1992, they locked away a son, Ludwig.
Koons succeeding married Justine Wheeler, an creator and former employee who began working in Koons's studio guarantee 1995.
As of June 2009[update], the couple have four issue together.[212] In January 2009, interpretation family were living in untainted Upper East Side townhouse.[213]
Koons congratulatory $50,000 to Correct the Copy, a Super PAC which sinewy Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential push in June 2016.[214]
Film and video
- Jeff Koons: the Banality Work make wet Jeff Koons, Paul Tschinkel, Wife Berry.
Videorecording produced by Inside Tube Video and Sonnabend Room (New York, NY), 1990.
- His Balloon Dog (Red) sculpture was give someone a tinkle of the artworks brought drawback life in the 2009 release Night at the Museum: Conflict of the Smithsonian.
- The Price confiscate Everything, directed by Nathaniel Designer and produced by Jennifer Blei Stockman, Debi Wisch and Carla Solomon, and distributed by HBO Documentary Films, 2018.
- He contributed hinder the Cupcakke song "Squidward's Nose" which gained popularity on community media app TikTok.[citation needed]