JEFF KOONS Paintings, 2001–2013, SKARSTEDT London

March 7, 2024 Razvan Chiorean

March 1 - May 25, 2024

Skarstedt gallery front facade, St. James's London, Photo: galleriesnow.net

Skarstedt is excited to kick off the spring season with a solo exhibition featuring American artist Jeff Koons. The show includes five big paintings from 2001 to 2013, showcasing works from his Easyfun-Ethereal series, initially commissioned by Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin in 2000. The exhibition highlights Koons's role in making art more accessible, breaking down barriers between high and low art. The paintings reflect American democracy and follow the footsteps of innovators like Andy Warhol and Marcel Duchamp.

Koons's Easyfun-Ethereal series is known for combining mass media and childhood nostalgia, along with echoes from art history, creating vibrant and joyful compositions. The series originated from the positive response to Koons's reflective sculpture Balloon Flower (Blue) in 2000. The paintings in this series use images of food, landscapes, and the human form to celebrate desire, pleasure, and consumerism. Unlike his earlier Easyfun series, this body of work features a more adult theme, incorporating elements like a seductive bikini bottom on an inflatable cartoon dog in Hot Dog (2002) and sensory overload in Pancakes (2001).

Koons has been working in thematic series since the late 1970s, creating continuity in his work. The Easyfun-Ethereal series influences the Popeye series, introducing new narratives inspired by childhood icons and everyday objects. The Popeye paintings feature inflatable pool toys cast in aluminum to preserve their unique folds, creating a trompe l’oeil effect. The series explores shared histories sparked by symbols from childhood, such as the iconic Barrel of Monkeys game.

The Antiquity series focuses on ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, incorporating themes of fertility, love, and beauty. The paintings reinterpret classical sculptures, like the Hellenistic group of Aphrodite with Pan and Eros in Antiquity 1 (Grass) and Silenus in Antiquity (Satyr). Koons emphasizes the importance of beauty and desire in art, viewing classical sculptures as embodying aspirational values for individuals and society.

With a career spanning over four decades, Koons's fascination with visual culture's lavish elements is evident in his paintings and sculptures. Pleasure has always been a central theme in his work, as he emphasizes the importance of finding amazement in life. The monumental canvases in this exhibition explore Koons's artistic practice, navigating art history, personal history, and shared histories.

Jeff Koons, Hot Dog 2002, oil on canvas, 108 x 84 inches, 274.3 x 213.4 cm

Jeff Koons, Pancakes, 2001, oil on canvas, 108 1/8 x 84 inches, 274.6 x 213.4 cm

Jeff Koons, Monkeys (Ladder), 2003, oil on canvas, 108 x 84 inches, 274.3 x 213.4 cm

Jeff Koons, Antiquity (Satyr), 2010-2013, oil on canvas, 108 x 84 inches, 274.3 x 213.4 cm

Jeff Koons, Antiquity I (Grass), 2010, oil on canvas, 108 x 84 inches, 274.3 x 213.4 cm, Photo: Skarstedt

Skarstedt

8 Bennet Street
London
SW1A 1RP
United Kingdom

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