After the Whitney in New York a Jeff Koons retrospective has hit the Centre Pompidou and we came to see it while in Paris last week. So that’s the most unemotional and boring sentence I have ever started a post with. But somehow it describes my initial feelings towards his art very well. Jeff Koons – “The king of kitsch”, how Forbes calls him, goes for the obvious and plays it bold – bright colors, children’s toys and sex! As a matter of fact his works do not seem to blend well with my minimalist, discreet aesthetics that are mostly defined in black and white as well as nature inspired neutrals. So what made us go there? Did we got caught up within the heavy advertisement?
Jeff Koons Centre Pompidou – The Retrospective, after the Whitney in NYC the show arrived in Paris, pic taken by CKM
My first real life encounter with Jeff Koons sculptures dates back to his Versailles exhibition in 2008 and to be honest as much as I tried I couldn’t connect with his pieces at that time. About one year later I read “Deluxe: How luxury lost its luster” by Dana Thomas. For all who haven’t heard of the book yet – its a real must for everyone with an interest in fashion – its about the expansion of luxury craftsmen workshops in Europe into billion dollar lifestyle brands targeting a broad audience in the late 80ies, 90ies and after 2000. And thats where Koons came back into my mind. Isn’t Koons doing to the art world what Gucci and Vuitton were doing to luxury fashion? He “democratizes” art and makes it understandable for a broader audience by using little abstraction. Its just like Gucci. For so many years they went for obvious status symbols nothing discreet no hidden message, just obvious logos. Does really the same superficiality that drew mid market customers into a Gucci store attract billionaires to Koons? By the way Mr Koons is the most expensive living artist in the world! With these thoughts in my mind I have to admit that I was really looking forward to visit Jeff Koons Centre Pompidou!
The first series by Jeff Koons and the opening display at the Centre Pompidou is “Inflatable Flowers, tall purple, tall orange, 1979”, pic CKM
The basket balls from Jeff Koons Equilibrium series developed in collab with physical nobel price winner Richard Feynman, pic CKM
Rabbit 1986 from Jeff Koons “Statuary” series. It looks like an “Inflatable” with all the details but this time around its made from stainless steel, pic CKM
The exhibition is arranged according to the series in which Jeff Koons produces his works. It starts with his “Inflatables”, real inflatable toys placed on mirrors, “The New”, you know the vacuum cleaners, continues with “Equilibrium”, the basket balls, towards “Statuary”, “Celebration” with the BALLOON DO … somewhere comes his “Made in heaven” series in collaboration with Italian porn star Illona Staller, La Cicciolina, … and the whole thing finishes more modest with historical sculptures Koons decorates with a blue glazing ball, his newest series …
And of course the top picture from the exhibition “BALLOON DOG (MAGENTA)”, pic CKM
Jeff Koons “Titi” 2004-2009, stainless steel, pic CKM
Jeff Koons “Split Rocker” at the Centre Pompidou, pic CKM
Of course I have to admit that its a surprisingly easy going and fun visit for an art exhibition. Its almost impossible not to start taking pictures of you and your children in front of some of the giant toys. But after you finish your tour? There isn’t a lot to discuss or talk about. It was just a joyful experience much more like a department store visit than an art show.
Jeff Koons A large vase with flowers. 1991
Painted wood at Centre Pompidou, pic CKM
Jeff Koons, Balloon Venus (Orange), 2008–12. Mirror-polished stainless steel with transparent color coating, pic CKM
Jeff Koons, Hulk (Organ), 2004–14. Polychromed bronze and mixed media, pic CKM
Gazing Ball (Ariadne) at Centre Pompidou, pic CKM
Have you already seen Jeff Koons Centre Pompidou or the Whitney show? Whats your opinion? Do you like an easy going art experience like that or do you prefer something deeper?
Although I haven’t had the pleasure of visiting the NYC or the Paris retrospective yet I have a certain interest in the art of Jeff Koons. Aesthetically speaking I agree with you. For me its too flashy, kitschy and bold. From an intellectual point of view I have a slightly different opinion. For me Koons is parodying mass consumption in almost all of his works! But surely you are quite right this parody isn’t understood by everyone and exactly the simple consume product oriented works attract people in the same way the original product did. As result his art became as coveted as a consume product … and yes finally his art itself has been turned into mass consumption … I can only say H&M Balloon Dog bag … a really sad thing … has surely not been Koons initial intention!
Neither saw the NYC nor the Paris show but I really feel that Jeff Koons is the best reflection of the irony of our consume society. An artist who took mass consumption as the topic of his art turned into one of the most commercialized and coveted artists himself.