-
Artworks
Jeff Koons
Balloon Monkey (Orange), 2019Porcelain with chromatic coating9 7/8 x 8 1/4 x 15 3/8 in
25 x 21 x 39 cmEdition of 999Series: SculpturesCopyright The ArtistJeff Koons is a leading figure in contemporary sculpture, renowned for his ability to transform familiar, everyday objects into dazzling, large-scale artworks that straddle the line between fine art and commercial culture. His best-known sculptures—such as Balloon Dog, Rabbit, and Play-Doh—are meticulously crafted from materials like polished stainless steel and aluminum, often finished with high-gloss, mirror-like surfaces that reflect both the viewer and the surrounding space. These works reference toys, advertisements, kitsch, and pop culture, embracing spectacle and accessibility while challenging traditional notions of originality and artistic labor. At the heart of Koons’s practice is a deep interest in perception, value, and desire. While his sculptures are often playful and lighthearted in appearance, they are also rigorously conceptual, pushing viewers to consider how meaning is constructed through scale, material, and context. By borrowing from mass-market aesthetics and outsourcing production to expert fabricators, Koons disrupts ideas of authorship and elevates the mundane to monumental. His sculptures provoke strong responses—both admiration and critique—making his work a powerful lens through which to explore the boundaries of contemporary art.Jeff Koons' Balloon Monkey sculpture is a captivating and iconic piece that exemplifies his fascination with popular culture and the elevation of everyday objects to the realm of high art. Created in 2006, the Balloon Monkey is part of Koons' larger Celebration series, which features oversized sculptures of familiar objects like balloon animals, hearts, and flowers.
The Balloon Monkey sculpture captures the whimsical essence of a traditional balloon animal, but with a twist. Crafted from mirror-polished stainless steel, the sculpture reflects its surroundings, creating an illusion of weightlessness and transparency reminiscent of an actual balloon. This juxtaposition of materials—transforming a delicate, ephemeral object into a permanent, monumental sculpture—is characteristic of Koons' artistic practice.
At first glance, the Balloon Monkey appears playful and lighthearted, inviting viewers to marvel at its shiny surface and whimsical form. However, upon closer inspection, the sculpture reveals deeper layers of meaning and symbolism. By immortalizing a fleeting moment in the form of a balloon animal, Koons explores themes of transience, nostalgia, and the passage of time.
The scale of the Balloon Monkey adds to its impact, towering over viewers and commanding attention with its larger-than-life presence. This amplification of scale is a recurring motif in Koons' work, challenging viewers to reconsider their perceptions of space and proportion.
As with much of Koons' art, the Balloon Monkey blurs the boundaries between high and low culture, challenging traditional notions of artistic value and taste. By elevating a mass-produced object to the status of fine art, Koons invites viewers to question the distinction between the ordinary and the extraordinary.
Since its creation, the Balloon Monkey sculpture has become one of Koons' most recognizable and sought-after works, fetching record prices at auction and garnering acclaim from critics and collectors alike. Its enduring popularity speaks to its ability to captivate and inspire viewers, transcending the boundaries of time and place.
Overall, Jeff Koons' Balloon Monkey sculpture is a testament to his innovative approach to art-making and his ability to create works that resonate on both a visceral and intellectual level. With its blend of whimsy, craftsmanship, and conceptual depth, the Balloon Monkey continues to captivate audiences around the world, solidifying Koons' reputation as one of the most influential artists of his generation.%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EJeff%20Koons%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3EBalloon%20Monkey%20%28Orange%29%3C/span%3E%2C%20%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E2019%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3EPorcelain%20with%20chromatic%20coating%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E9%207/8%20x%208%201/4%20x%2015%203/8%20in%3Cbr/%3E%0A25%20x%2021%20x%2039%20cm%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22edition_details%22%3EEdition%20of%20999%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22series%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22artwork_caption_prefix%22%3ESeries%3A%3C/span%3E%20Sculptures%3C/div%3ERelated artworks-
Jeff Koons, Balloon Animals Collector's Set , 2017-2019
-
Jeff Koons, Inflatable Flower, 1997
-
Jeff Koons, Diamond (red), 2020
-
Jeff Koons, Balloon Animal - Rabbit (Red) , Swan (Yellow) & Monkey (Blue), 2017
-
Jeff Koons, Kangaroo Mirror Box
-
Jeff Koons, Split Rocker Vase, 2013
-
Jeff Koons, Puppy Vase, 1998
-
Jeff Koons, Balloon Rabbit (Red), 2017
-
Jeff Koons, Balloon Dog (Magenta) , 2016
-
Jeff Koons, Balloon Dog (Orange) , 2016
-
Jeff Koons, Balloon Dog (Red) , 1995
-
Jeff Koons, Balloon Dog (Blue) , 1995
-
Jeff Koons, Balloon Swan (Yellow), 2017
-
Jeff Koons, Balloon Animal - Rabbit (Violet) , Swan (Magenta) & Monkey (Orange), 2019
-
Jeff Koons, Balloon Monkey (Blue), 2017
-
Jeff Koons, Balloon Venus, 2013
-
Jeff Koons, Balloon Dog (Yellow) , 2015
-
Jeff Koons, Balloon Swan (Magenta), 2019
-
Jeff Koons, Balloon Rabbit (Violet), 2019
-
Join our mailing list
* denotes required fields
We will process the personal data you have supplied in accordance with our privacy policy (available on request). You can unsubscribe or change your preferences at any time by clicking the link in our emails.
177 10th Avenue
Ground Floor
New York, NY 10011
Tuesday - Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 5pm
info@guyhepner.com
+1 (212) 500 8190
Instagram, opens in a new tab.
Join the mailing list
Facebook, opens in a new tab.
Twitter, opens in a new tab.
Youtube, opens in a new tab.
Tiktok, opens in a new tab.
This website uses cookies
This site uses cookies to help make it more useful to you. Find out more about cookies.