Palazzo Strozzi to host a major exhibition by Jeff Koons

Due to open on 2 October 2021, the exhibition is curated by Arturo Galansino and Joachim Pissarro, and it will bring to Florence a wide selection of the most celebrated works by Koons who, from the mid-70s to the present day, has forged a reputation as one of the most important and controversial figures in the contemporary art world.

Developed in close collaboration with the artist, the exhibition entitled “Jeff Koons. Shine” will host loans from some of the world’s most important collections and museums, exploring the concept of “shine” in Koons’s work – an ambiguous idea that oscillates between the dualities of being and seeming, or truth and sensation.

The chosen artworks illustrate the story of a career that has spanned over forty years, from Koons’s glistening metal sculptures replicating luxury objects like Baccarat Crystal Set (1986) to his iconic inflatables such as Rabbit (1986) and Balloon Dog (Red) (1994-2000). In addition, the exhibition will highlight Koons’s revisitation of pop culture and his historic reinvention of the readymade through works such as Hulk (Tubas) (2004-2018) and One Ball Total Equilibrium Tank (Spalding Dr. JK 241 Series) (1985).

The American artist’s works place the observer before a mirror in which they can at once see themselves within their environment and thus experience affirmation. As Koons puts it: “The job of the artist is to make a gesture and really show people what their potential is. It’s not about the object, and it’s not about the image; it’s about the viewer. That’s where the art happens.”

Jeff Koons. Shine
Palazzo Strozzi, Florence
2 October 2021 – 30 January 2022