SERPENTINE GALLERY - JEFF KOONS, POPEYE SERIS

This exhibition by Jeff Koons at the Serpentine Gallery, I found intriguing and once I had seen it the Intriguing turned to Incredible!

This exhibition is the first major survey of Koon's work to be mounted in the in a public gallerly in England. He has been part of many exhibitions in the Serpentine throughout the years, however this is his first solo exhibition in the gallery. 

The Infulential American Artist (born 1955) started this Popeye Series in 2002.

All of the artists concerns are explored in Popeye seris : consumerism, taste, banality, childhood and sexuality. (Unfortunatly photography was not permitted in the gallery so the photo's below are from the website and photos I have taken from the brochure. )

Much of the exhibition consists of inflatable objects which have been cast. This he has been doing for many years throughout his career from a lifeboat recreated to scale in bronze (Lifeboat 1995) to a larger than life stainless steel cast of a dog made out of balloons (Balloon Dog (Blue) 1994-200).

 

Jeff Koons

Acrobat 2003–09 Polychromed aluminium, 

galvanised steel, wood and straw 

228.9 x 148 x 64.8 cm

Here Shows one of the exhibitions works. All the Sculptures in this exhibition are replicates in aluminium the bright, inflatable children's toys such as those used in Swimming pools. All of the work has a hugely labour in tensive finish done to such precision. Here it is clear that Koons has allied himself with one of his heros Salvador Dali (Super real Surrealism). Here Koons work shows a Lobster (which also makes other appearences in the gallerly) balancing effortlessly on a rubbish bin and chair. One of Dali's most iconic sculptures Lobster Telephone that has a crustacean for a handle. 

'Real art appears. You just have to listen to yourself and when something speaks to you, you have to respond to it.' JEFF KOONS

An essential element to Koons work is the visitor's individual experience of the work - in his view the art is the viewer and not the object. This also explains why he has used such objects, as they are everyday objects to which anyone can relate too. He also chose these objects as they are buoyancy aids and are also intended to 'safe lives.' The Inflatable toys also mantain thier optimism despite the constraints of ladders or rubish bins. 

                                                                                                 

Jeff Koons Hook 2003 Oil on canvas

259.1 x 350.5 cm

Here we see one of the canvas presented my Koons. These where immensely realistic to what they portrayed especially the inflatable characters within them, you had to get really close to just about notice that it was in fact oil on canvas. 

Again along with the sculptures they show the immense precise, The artist uses computer software to compose the different layers before proceeding to

 paint. This is necessary as the paintings give illusions to have many different materials when in fact it is just oil on canvas. 

'My work has always been political even though people don't even look at it in this way. I have been involved in a very political activity: trying to make something that really empowers people.'JEFF KOONS

Now we have to of course talk about the character Popeye and is relevance within this exhibition. The stammering sailor's self -acceptance appealed to Koons, epitomised by Popeye's catchphrase 'I am what I am.' 

Popeye wa

s created when the great depression was taking place 80 years ago, it is therefore Popeye's message of hard times which echoes today. 

Sexuality has always been a big part in Koons work with previeous controversial work 'Made in Heaven' seris which included photographs of the artist invoved a variety of sexual acts with his future first wife. In this as you can see naked women appear, however these are sources from adult magazines as well as advertisments.

His work builds on the traditions of American Pop Art, including artists such as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, who have both used images of Popeye in their work. 

'I feel internally dense while externally, outside my body, it is very airy. I like the inflatable because it's exactly the opposite.'

Jeff Koons

Popeye 2003
Oil on canvas

Caterpillar Ladder 2003
Polychromed aluminium, aluminium, plastic

213.4 x 111.8 x 193 cm

'By making reference to external things, I'm really making reference to people - everyting's just a metaphor for people.' JEFF KOONS

This is an exhibition which I was was shocked by the realitly of it all. I enjoyed it's childish onlook but with an actual solid base and meaning behind it. It is definatly something to try and see if about in London.