Jeff Koons provokes with his works and breaks auction records.

York (Pennsylvania; USA) – American artist Jeff Koons, born on January 21, 1955, is considered by some critics to be a master of kitsch, while others in the art world celebrate him and write about him as a prominent representative of neo-pop or post-pop. Koons, whose one-meter-high metal sculpture of a rabbit sold in 2019 for $91.1 million remains the most expensive artwork sold at auction by a living artist, rejects any attempts to categorize his work. The artist primarily denies that his unmistakable pieces have any hidden meaning.

A native of the small town of York in Pennsylvania, he showed artistic talent from an early age. In the 1970s, he studied art and design at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore and also at the Art Institute of Chicago. He then worked in a museum and also made a living as a broker, fully dedicating himself to art in the 1980s. He worked with inflatable toys, electrical appliances, and steel, for example. When Koons' one-meter-high steel statue of a rabbit holding a carrot was first exhibited in a gallery in New York in 1986, some thought it was a joke, while others were ecstatic. For instance, the late director of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Kirk Varnedoe, labeled the work as a "milestone" in modern art at that time.

Damien Hirst, then a young art student and now a famous British artist known for his controversial works, was also enthusiastic about Rabbit in 1987. "I couldn't get enough of that simple beauty, I was in awe,” Hirst later recalled his first experience with Koons' work. The rabbit is one of several works of a similar nature that Koons has created. For instance, with his orange Balloon Dog, Koons held the previous record for the most expensive works by living artists – in 2013, it sold for $58.4 million. His sculptures Tulips and Hanging Heart also sold for record amounts.

Koons is married for the second time; his first wife was former porn star Ilona Staller. He is the father of six children, four of whom he has with his current wife, Justine Wheeler.

> www.jeffkoons.com