|
|
|
|
Jeff Koons,
Balloon Dog,
2000
More surprises:
To have a common artifact like a lowly balloon dog manufactured into a large metal sculpture with a mirror finish emphasizes the surprise quality immensely. Placing his creations in unusual, high culture environments, such as the Grand Canal in Venice or the Palace of Versailles, Koons enlarges these factors even more. To top it all, he sued a gallery and seller of ballon dog bookends for copyright violation. The gallery protested: "As virtually any clown can attest, no one owns the idea of making a balloon dog, and the shape created by twisting a balloon into a dog-like form is part of the public domain." Surprises on top of surprises! Our culture, particularly the media, thrives on it.
|