Jeff Koons

Jeff Koons (York, Pennsylvania, born 1955) is an American sculptor, painter and photographer associated with Pop art and kitsch aesthetics. His work moves between conceptual art, Minimalism and Neo-Pop, and he has been one of the most sought-after living artists on the market. Although he has also had an intense business career, his main contribution lies in his reflection on consumption and mass culture.

Before becoming an artist he worked as a stockbroker on Wall Street. In the early 1980s he began to attract attention with conceptual sculpture that gradually became more monumental. He opened a studio with around thirty assistants, organised in a way similar to Andy Warhol's famous studio, The Factory. Koons also hired an advertising agency to promote his image, something rare in the art world, which reflects his interest in the public figure of the artist.

His works use everyday objects of little value, placed in illuminated galleries and stripped of their original function, in the line of Duchamp. Pin-up images, inflatable toys and middle-class objects appear often. His aim is to mock, with a somewhat malicious humour, the influence of the media and advertising on dreams of fame, money and lifestyle. Among his series, Puppy stands out: a giant West Highland terrier covered in flowers, installed in front of a museum, along with the balloon animal sculptures, such as Balloon Dog, one of the pieces that reached record prices at auction.

Koons's work has also been marked by controversy. Several courts have found him liable for plagiarism or copyright infringement, in cases involving photographs and advertisements, and he has not always won his cases. His private life, including the custody dispute over his son, has also received public attention.

His legacy lies in placing consumer culture and advertising at the centre of contemporary sculpture. He has received numerous honours, including the French Legion of Honour, and his work has shaped debate about the value of art in an age of brands and media.