Jeff Koons, born in 1955 in York, Pennsylvania, is considered one of the most influential and controversial artists of the post-war period.

He showed a passion for art from an early age. He graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art with a degree and continued his artistic training at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He is noted for bringing the image of the everyday object, of popular culture, to the world of sculpture. His works have been exhibited in museums around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Over the course of his career, he has challenged the limits between art and marketing, between pop culture and consumerism, attracting the attention of art lovers and critics alike.

We have been captivated by something very specific: the use he makes of stainless steel in his works. By extremely polishing the stainless steel plate, he achieves a finish that is almost a perfect mirror, allowing the environment in which it is placed the possibility of interacting with the viewer. Balloon Dog, Balloon Flower, Hanging Heart... are some examples where the artist has used this technique to achieve his purpose.

Let's focus on the latter. 

Hanging Heart is a sculpture measuring 291 X 280 X 101.5 CM in a red heart shape which is held by a thin golden ribbon. The stainless steel is perfectly polished, free of roughness, conferring freshness and vitality to the sculpture. The golden ribbons appear straight, like holding a heavy weight that comes from the heart. In contrast, the wide curves of the ribbon create a balance that lends to lightness.

One of his works, Rabbit, also made of mirrored finish stainless steel, broke a world record in 2019 being the highest-paid work of a living artist. It was sold for $91 million, about 81 million euros.

It is clear that if you know the material you are working with, you can get the most out of it. If you have any questions related to stainless steel, please do not hesitate to contact us.