Famous Artists: Jeff Koons Biography 4

Questions and Answers

What did Jeff Koons do to earn a living while pursuing his career as an artist?

Worked in the Museum of Modern Art and as a trader on Wall Street

What is the term used for the method Koons employed to produce his art with the help of assistants?

Art Fabrication

In which decade did Jeff Koons have his big break and became part of a movement exploring art in the media?

1980s

What technique does Koons use to ensure that all his assistants' work looks consistent and like it was done by one person?

Painting-by-Numbers Signup and view all the answers

How did Jeff Koons create his most expensive sculpture, Rabbit, in 1986?

He cast around an inflatable rabbit toy in stainless steel Signup and view all the answers

Jeff Koons worked at the Louvre Museum before becoming an artist.

False Signup and view all the answers

Koons' big break in the art world happened in the 1980s.

True Signup and view all the answers

Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons used a similar system to produce their art.

True Signup and view all the answers

Match the following artists with their method of producing art:

Jeff Koons = Art fabrication Andy Warhol = Factory setup Vincent van Gogh = Painting outdoors Pablo Picasso = Cubism Signup and view all the answers

Match the following descriptions with the correct artwork:

Highly polished and reflective stainless steel sculpture = Rabbit 50-foot tall metallic fabric sculpture that flew in a parade = Inflatable Rabbit Blue and yellow abstract painting = Starry Night Geometric shapes and distorted figures in artwork = Les Demoiselles d'Avignon Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Jeff Koons: The Most Expensive Living Artist

As of April 2023, Jeff Koons is the most expensive living artist, with his sculpture "Rabbit" selling for $91.1 million.
He is an American artist famous for his sculptures of mundane objects, often made from polished stainless steel.
Examples of his sculptures include balloon animals, such as "Rabbit" and "Balloon Dog (Orange)", which sold for $58.4 million in 2013.

Artistic Career and Style

Koons began his artistic career as a painter, copying paintings from famous painters like Rembrandt at the age of nine.
He was fascinated by the surrealist painter Salvador Dali.
Unlike many artists, Koons argues that there are no deeper meanings or hidden messages in his work.
Critics have dismissed his work as crass and pointless, while supporters argue that it pushes the boundaries of art forward and makes it more accessible and relatable.

Early Life and Challenges

Koons' father displayed his early paintings in his shop window to attract customers.
He learned that being an artist doesn't pay well unless you're famous, which he experienced firsthand when he moved to New York in 1977.