Das Jeff Koons Handbuch

From the very beginning, Jeff Koons’ (b. 1955) popular, influential, celebrated and controversial oeuvre has questioned the traditional concept of art. His contextual sleight-of-hand, which transforms banal items into sumptuous icons, takes on a psychological dimension through dramatic shifts in scale, spectacularly engineered surfaces, and subliminal allegories of animals, humans, and anthropomorphised objects. While his approach is unconceivable without Marcel Duchamp and Andy Warhol as precursors, the subject of art history is a constant undercurrent in his work, whether Koons elevates kitsch to the level of classical art or produces works in the manner of Baroque sculptures.

‘As Arthur Danto once aptly said: “Everyone likes Koons’ art, Koons himself might say, unless they have been taught not to.” In this sense, Koons’ primary motivation is direct and clear communication with as many people as possible, which is why he focuses on universally understandable themes that he showcases artistically by means of contextual changes, dimensional shifts, and a high degree of perfection in the execution. [...] Koons, the imperturbable optimist, aims at the expression of happiness, self-assurance, and emotional abandon.’

A. Hüsch, A sensory overload on spin cycle: The sensual universe of Jeff Koons in Jeff Koons, Galerie Max Hetzler and Holzwarth Publications, 2009