German
Basic data
Jeff Koons is a popular contemporary US artist. He is one of the best-known representatives of the Neo-Pop Art movement and is known for his provocative and controversial artworks. Koons often uses everyday objects and motifs from mass culture, which he depicts in oversized size and bright colors.
- Born: 1955
- Place of birth: York, Baltimore, USA
- Nationality: US-American
- Studied at: Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore; School of the Art Institute of Chicago; BFA, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore
- Similar artists: Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Takashi Murakami, Alex Katz
- Era: Contemporary art
- Stylistic direction: Pop art, Appropriation art
Biography
Jeff Koons was born on January 21, 1955 in York, Pennsylvania. His career began in the late 1970s in New York City, where he worked as a stockbroker on Wall Street before turning to art. He studied at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, as well as at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC).
Koons' artistic career began in the late 1970s, when he began working in New York City. His early work was heavily influenced by conceptual art and focused on how art objects function in the context of advertising and consumer society. In the 1980s, he gained international recognition with his "New Hoover Convertibles" series, in which he presented real vacuum cleaners in glass display cases.
In the years that followed, Koons continued to develop his unique artistic style. He began to explore popular culture, kitsch, and mass production. His works include sculptures, paintings, photographs, and installations, and often use materials such as stainless steel, glass, and inflatable objects. Koons' works are characterized by their monumental size, bright colors, and often ironic and provocative nature. One of his best-known artistic series is "Balloon Dogs," in which he recreates inflatable dogs made of stainless steel.
Koons' art has received numerous awards and has been exhibited in prestigious galleries and museums around the world. In addition, he holds several records, including being the most expensive living artist. Koons' works continue to spark debates about commercial success, mass culture, and the value of art. He currently lives and works in New York.
Exhibitions
- 18.12.2023 – 17.03.2024 The Milton and Sheila Fine Collection – Carnegie Museum of Art (CMOA), Pittsburg.
- 19.06.2023 – 30.10.2023 Dream Machines – Deste Foundation, Nea Ionia.
- 12.05.2023 – 15.06.2023 American Portraiture: Selling The Self – Morgan Presents, New York City.
- 21.06.2022 – 31.10.2023 JEFF KOONS: APOLLO - Deste Foundation, New Ionia.
- 10.06.2022 – 09.10.2022 Balance - Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart, Berlin.
- 09.04.2022 – 11.09.2022 Jeff Koons×Bernardaud – 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa.
- 22.06.2021 – 31.10.2021 THE GREEK GIFT - Deste Foundation, New Ionia.
- 20.05.2021 – 17.10.2021 The Imaginary Sea - Fondation Carmignac, Hyères.
Awards
- 2023: Premio Galileo 2000 Award, Palazzo Vecchio Florence, Italy.
- 2021: Prize „Renaissance Man of the Year“, Palazzo Strozzi Foundation USA, Florence, Italy.
- 2014: Academy of Achievement’s Golden Plate Award, 51st Annual International Achievement Summit, San Francisco.
- 2012: State Department's Medal of Arts, Art in Embassies, Washington D.C.
- 2011: Voice of Art Award, FEGS, New York, New York.
- 2011: Artist Icon Award in the Arts, The Bruce Museum, Greenwich, Connecticut.
- 2009: Prize for best "Exhibition Outside the United States", Rob Pruitt's First Annual.
- 2009: Maryland Institute College of Art Alumni Medal of Honor, Baltimore, Maryland.
Films
- The Jeff Koons Show, Documentary, Alison Chernick, 49 min, UK 2004.
- Jeff Koons – un homme de confiance, Documentary, Judit Kele, 57 min, France 2002.
Literature
- Jeff Koons. Der Künstler als Täufer, Raphael Bouvier, Munich 2012.
- Jeff Koons, Hans Werner Holzwarth (Hrsg.), Ingrid Sischy, Eckhard Schneider, Katy Siegel, Jeff Koons, Cologne 2009.
- Jeff Koons. Popeye Series, Kathryn Rattee, Cologne 2009.
- Jeff Koons. Celebration, Anette Hüsch, Ostfildern 2008.
- Kunst als Sündenfall. Die Tabuverletzungen des Jeff Koons, Thomas Zaunschirm, Freiburg im Breisgau 1996.
- Jeff Koons, Angelika Muthesius, Cologne 1992.
Own writings
- The Jeff Koons Handbook, Jeff Koons, London 1992.
Collections
Germany
- Berlin - Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart
- Berlin - Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
- Frankfurt - Sammlung Deutsche Bank
- Munich - Museum Brandhorst
- Wolfsburg - Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg
- Karlsruhe - ZKM Karlsruhe
England
- London - Tate Collection
- London - Tate Modern
- London - HISCOX London
France
Italy
- Turin - Castello di Rivoli
- Naples - Museo MADRE
Portugal
- Lisboa - Museu Berardo
Netherlands
- Amsterdam - Stedelijk Museum
USA
- New York - Lever House
- Los Angeles - MOCA The Museum of Contemporary Art
- Chicago - MCA Museum of Contemporary Art
- San Francisco - SFMOMA San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
- Washington - Smithsonian Institution
- Durham - Nasher Museum of Art
- Dallas - Nasher Sculpture Center
- Washington - Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington
Weblinks
- Website about the artist
