In a couple of days, Christie’s auction house is auctioning off a very controversial artist. Now I’m not talking about controversial like Andres Serrano and his work Piss Christ. However, in my mind, in similar and different ways this artist is just as controversial. Though, first I am going to show an image of Piss Christ for those of you who are unaware of what the image actually is. I am not showing this image offend or to upset, but purely as a reference point since I named the work and I am comparing it to another work an artists.
“Piss Christ” by Andre Serrano c. 1987
Now the artist I am referring to is none other that Jeff Koons. I know some of you are scratching your head or calling me a quack here because how an you compare Koons and Serrano together as controversial? Well in my mind it is rather easy. Serrano is controversial in this subject manner while Koons is controversial on if he even created the art work himself, and if he didn’t, then how can he put his own name on a piece of work that was created that he didn’t touch?
The work that Christie’s is auctioning off is this seven foot tall sculpture that was executed between the years of 1994-2008 for an estimated auction price between $3.9M to $5.46M, which is outrageous. Now, don’t get me wrong the work is beautiful, as I will show you here in a second, but it is the way the work is done that makes me the most upset.
“Baroque Egg with Bow (Blue/Turquoise)” by Jeff Koons c. 1994-2008
This piece is one of five versions, each are uniquely coloured and look beautiful. However, my question is, who really created this work? Sure, it is known that Mr. Koons had the idea of the work and most likely drew up the design of it. However, after the design stage of this work, how much more physical effort did Mr. Koons put into this piece? Did he actually ever lay a single hand on it during it’s actual physical creation? Did he help out with the sculpture or the painting of it? Or did he just give a nod if he liked the way it was looking or suggest who it could look different or better in his eyes if he didn’t like it? Who really knows what happens behind the closed doors of his “studio”?
The reason why people would disagree with me on this topic of Koons is a good argument. They will ask how does Koons differ than the works of Andy Warhol and his Factory? Andy mass created works of art while he used the people in his studio to do the work, and like what I consider Koons, most people would also consider Andy Warhol more of an art director than an artist in his later years. This is true to an extent, however the thing that is Andy Warhol made it known who worked in his Factory and who could have or did contribute to the works of art that came out of there. Anyone can do a quick internet search or get a book about the Factory from his or her local book store to see the names of those who were involved there, people like Edie Sedgwick, Ingrid Superstar, Nico, The Velvet Underground, Candy Darling, Ultra Violet, Mick Jagger, Jim Morris and many others. There are names of music gods listed above, and their contribution to works can be questionable or if they even contributed at all to any works, but at least we have a list of names who could have worked on a production, and the movies that Warhol did, we already know who was involved with that.
However, with Koons, who knows who has done what to his work. I personally do not know of a list of people who has worked on pieces and/or which pieces. Sure Koons’ “studio” would have a list of employees that they have paid, but more faceless or unknown people are out of there than a Wall Street Bank. Thinking about it now actually, I don’t know anyone who has been, currently is, or knows anyone who has been involved in Koons’ studio. Now that doesn’t necessarily mean anything as I don’t know every artist in the world, but it is hard to find any documentation of a single person who has had any involvement in the studio. I have seen a documentary from I believe was on the network Ovation TV that was in regards to Koons’ studio, and it showed a couple of people working on pieces, but I couldn’t tell you who they were from the average person on the streets in ABC City.
Warhol was protesting the whole mass production of material goods and what was becoming “art”, the consumer need. Koons on the other hand is doing what? I don’t know…maybe going through and having these people create the work so he no longer has to get his hands dirty while collecting most of the profits and all of the fame from the pieces? That sounds like something a big corporation would do, not an artist, someone who is more interested in filling his/her pockets with the most money available instead of actually working for his supper, putting in a honest days work for an honest days pay. Sure he can get some credit by designing the piece, but still…does he deserve the title of Artist? There are major factors that separate Warhol and Koons, who both are having work auctioned off by Christie’s on June 27th in London, England.
For more info on these pieces and to see the other beautiful works on sale in this auction, please visit Christie’s Website.
UPDATE:
I have been contacted by Lisa Berg from Ovation TV who informed me that they will actually be showing a documentary on Mr. Koons tonight. For more information on this documentary, please check out the this link.
Art and Auction 