Balloon Dog is one of the most striking works from the famous “Celebration” series, launched by Jeff Koons in the early 1990s. The works in this series evoke certain times of the year (holidays and birthdays), but also pay homage to the cycle of life. What better than a colorful rubber balloon, shaped into the instantly recognizable form of a dog, to suggest the cheerfulness of children’s parties? In the eyes of the artist, this dog-shaped balloon ‘speaks of celebration, childhood, color, and simplicity. But it is also a Trojan horse. It’s a Trojan horse for the entire body of works.’
Balloon Dog has the depth of an archaic sculpture.
The original sculptures bearing this title are made of high-precision mirror-polished stainless steel, coated with a transparent varnish in blue, magenta, orange, red, or yellow. Despite being three meters tall and weighing a ton, no detail has been overlooked in rendering the shape of Balloon Dog. The artist’s rigorous demand, one of the most fascinating aspects of Koons’s art, is evident in the porcelain version of Balloon Dog (Magenta) which simulates the mirror-polished stainless steel of the monumental sculpture.
Jeff Koons chose Bernardaud for their expertise. This highly complex project required all the skills and craftsmanship of the modelers, decorators, and enamellers from the company’s workshops, as well as the implementation of new technologies to meet the artist’s demands.
