Balloon Dog (Orange) by Jeff Koons

American artist Jeff Koons created this Balloon Dog as part of his Celebration series, begun in 1994. The sculpture replicates a balloon animal twisted at children's parties, scaled up monumentally and fabricated in mirror-polished stainless steel with transparent color coating. Five unique versions exist in blue, magenta, orange, red, and yellow.

Each sculpture stands over 3 meters tall and weighs nearly 1,500 kilograms. The polished surface reflects the viewer and surroundings, inserting them into a childhood memory made permanent in steel. Koons worked with industrial fabricators for years to achieve the flawless finish, treating the surface with the same precision as luxury automobile paint.

The Balloon Dogs reside in various collections worldwide. The orange version sold at Christie's in 2013 for $58.4 million, then the highest price ever paid for a work by a living artist. Critics remain divided on Koons's work, some celebrating its joyful populism, others dismissing it as shallow kitsch. Either way, Balloon Dog has become one of contemporary art's most recognized images.

Each one stands about 307 cm (over 10 feet) tall and weighs several tons. They're made from mirror-polished stainless steel with a translucent color coating. Jeff Koons created five unique versions in different colors: blue, magenta, orange, red, and yellow. They're part of his Celebration series, made between 1994 and 2000.

Balloon Dog (Orange) sold at Christie's in November 2013 for $58.4 million, setting a world auction record for a living artist at the time. The five large sculptures are each one-of-a-kind. Smaller porcelain editions of 2,300 pieces have also been produced.

The five originals are in private collections and occasionally appear in major museum exhibitions. They've been displayed at venues ranging from the roof terrace of the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the Grand Canal in Venice. Check current exhibition listings, as Koons loans them periodically.

It looks exactly like a twisted balloon animal, scaled up to monumental size and cast in flawless mirror-finish steel. Koons takes a cheap, throwaway party object and turns it into something permanent and precious. Critics are split: some see it as a brilliant comment on consumer culture and childhood nostalgia, others call it expensive kitsch.

Balloon Dog (Orange)

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