When Christie’s sold Balloon Dog (Orange), a high chromium stainless steel puppy with transparent colour coating, for $58.4m in 2013, Jeff Koons became the most expensive living artist. A year on and Centre Pompidou in Paris is celebrating the American neo-pop artist (who turns 60 next year), gathering more than 100 of his sculptures and paintings for the largest exhibition devoted to Koons in Europe.
Among the pieces that have marked the contemporary art landscape for the last 35 years, visitors can admire: Rabbit (1986), Michael Jackson and Bubbles (1988), Lobster (2003), Hanging Heart (Red/Gold) (1994-2006) and Popeye (2009-2011). Koons has also agreed to show some pieces of the explicit Made in Heaven series (1989-1991), featuring him and former wife – Italian porn star La Cicciolina – in highly sexual sculptures and paintings.
As a sponsor of the exhibition, H&M will also be selling a limited edition bag featuring Balloon Dog (Magenta), so Koons fans can tote him around town. The bag will be sold at hm.com or H&M store on the Champs Elysées on 10th December from 8.30am – 11am.
Jeff Koons: A Retrospective. 26th November – 27th April. Centre Pompidou, Paris.
Credits
Text Oscar Heliani
Images © Jeff Koons