This week, the Dixon installed Jeff Koons’ sculpture Smooth Egg with Bow (Magenta/Violet). The work is on loan from the Diane B. Wilsey Collection and will be on view on the museum grounds until August 21st.
Love him or hate him, neo-pop artist Jeff Koons is the most well-known living artist in the world. His work sells for substantial sums. He currently holds the word record auction price for a living artist. Balloon Dog (Orange) sold at Christie’s Auction house in New York City in 2013 for $58.4 million.
I love Jeff Koons. His kitschy, self-merchandising work is completely pedestrian. Consisting of enormous bright, shiny toys, cartoon characters, and balloon dogs, it is perfectly made for our current Instagram world.
Former Dixon director John Buchanan hooked The Dixon up with San Francisco socialite Diane Wilsey. The Dixon has been working with Wilsey since last summer to acquire the piece. The Dixon has worked with Wilsey on previous projects, so there were no issues in having the valuable piece on loan for the next six months.
Chantal Drake, Director of Communications at the Dixon, states that in the short time that the piece has been on view, there have been many kids in their seer sucker rompers and spring dresses posing in front of the egg. A Easter Egg hunt is scheduled for April 15th and will prominently feature Koons’ iconic work. According to Drake, the piece is in one of the most beautiful outdoor environments in Memphis, “so that makes programming (around the Koons sculpture) easy.”
I think it is absolutely amazingly awesome to have a Jeff Koons piece in this city. Kudos to the Dixon for making this happen. As I said, I love Jeff Koons work. I will be sure to wear my seer sucker shorts to the Dixon this weekend and check it out.
Smooth Egg with Bow (Magenta/Violet) images courtesy of the Dixon.
Balloon Dog (Orange) courtesy of Don Rockwell.
