The career-spanning work of American artist Jeff Koons (b. 1955) is the subject of the latest free exhibition at Damien Hirst's Newport Street Gallery. The South London exhibition space, which opened in October 2015, was created with the purpose of displaying Hirst's vast private collection of art. Featuring solo or group shows, the brightly-lit, freshly painted gallery is a "dream come true" for the artist who "felt guilty owning work that is stored away in boxes where no one can see it..."
Drawn purely from Hirst's collection Now presents a major survey of Koons' work from 1979 to 2014. The bold and brash creations, which fill all six galleries at Newport Street, share similar traits to Hirst's own artistic output. Indeed, Koons' works were an early source of inspiration for Hirst when he was studying at Goldsmiths. Both artists have focused their careers on art for the masses, where the audience is not expected to possess specific knowledge to be able to enjoy the works. As a rebellion against traditional notions of what can be classified as art they display everyday objects and imagery that might otherwise be considered distasteful or uninteresting. Koons has been especially concerned with readymade art, an idea made popular by Marcel Duchamp, who famously exhibited a urinal, labeling it as a Fountain (1917). This ideology can be seen in Koons' series of works from 1979 onwards, titled The New, which consist of unused vacuum cleaners and floor polishers displayed straight out of their packaging. With no labels to accompany any of the works the viewer is left to determine meanings for themselves.
There are reoccurring themes throughout the exhibition, such as the notion that viewers produce their own interpretations of Koons' creations. One of the key themes is this idea of personal reflection on life, which manifests itself in Koons' preoccupation with shiny, mirror-like inflatables. From children's balloons to life-saving vests, inflatables feature strongly in the exhibition. Yet there is more to them than meets the eye. On the outside they look like the air-filled objects they are imitating, but instead they have been crafted out of long-lasting materials such as stainless steel. This not only ensures longevity, but provides a mirror-like surface that reflects the viewer and their surrounds. In this way Koons is holding a mirror up to the world both physically and metaphorically.
The third gallery in this exhibition contains erotic imagery, where photographs and children aren't allowed. Explicit images of Koons and his then wife, Ilona, engaged in sexual activity may be considered shocking or simply bad taste. Yet bad taste is a deliberate theme throughout Koons' career where he explores the aesthetic value of everyday imagery. Koons thinks there is nothing shameful about natural sexual activity, choosing to depict the couple as a version of Adam and Eve against a dream-like background of flowers. There is even an unquestionably phallic tail on Koons' giant Balloon Monkey (Blue) (2006-2013) made from mirror-polished stainless steel.
Some of Koons' works seem to be making a political statement, like those expressing ideals behind the American Dream. His Luxury and Degradation series reflects the contrasting ways in which alcohol is marketed to the rich and poor. This is especially demonstrated by a Jim Beam decanter train set (1986) which Koons has immortalised in stainless steel, locking the whiskey inside each carriage indefinitely. Elsewhere, works that depict childhood characters and toys may appear trivial, but they highlight the huge impact of modern day consumerism on people's daily lives.
The creative output of Koons and Hirst has often been dismissed as pointless kitsch, which is not completely inaccurate. They have also been criticised for their hands-off approach; conceptualising rather than making their own art. Nevertheless, the ambition in overcoming the challenges presented by their work is something to be admired. For example, few artists have been able to produce a realistic-looking mountain of Play-Doh (1994-2014) over ten feet tall, made from huge pieces of aluminum held together simply by their own weight. Such feats have brought them international fame and fortune, which is why it is good to see them staging a free exhibition. Admittedly there is a pricey restaurant (below), plus a gift shop selling Hirst's prints for no less than £3000 each, but visitors are not pounced upon, or forced to exit the building through them. Newport Street Gallery is likely to become a permanent London attraction, so it is worth keeping an eye on what Hirst has to offer in the future.
Address: Newport Street Gallery, Newport Street, London SE11 6AJ.
