1. Jeff Koons
By Heather Trazino

2. Life Born in 1955 in York, Pennsylvania
At the age of eight, he painted and sold replicas of Old Master paintings
As a teenaged, he idolized Salvador Dalí
Attended the Maryland Institute College of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago; obtained a bachelor of fine arts degree in 1976
Moved to New York, worked in the Museum of Modern Art at the membership desk
Gained attention for his style and personality

3. Life
In 1980, he stopped working at the Museum of Modern Art to pursue his own art career.
To fund his career, he worked on Wall Street
Gained recognition in the 1980s
Opened a factory-like studio at the corner of Houston and Broadway, employing thirty people to assist him in producing artwork

4. Life Koons faced a rather difficult family life
Married Italian pornography star Illona Staller in 1991
In 1992, they had a son
Separated shortly afterwards; Staller took their son to Rome, and Koons spent millions in legal fees attempting to gain custody
He lost this case in Italy’s Supreme Court
Today, he is married to Justine Wheeler, with whom he has six children
Still lives and produces artwork in New York City

5. Social, social, and economic climate
Like the 1970s, the 1980s was a difficult time in New York City
Unemployment, crime, drugs, and racial tension
Deterioration of housing and the Subway
Weak economy
Employment continued to fall as New York entered the 1990s

6. Themes His artwork includes themes of… Commercialism Popular culture
Familiar objects
Sexuality/beauty
His artwork connects to course themes
Art and its purpose
Meaningfulness
Morals and norms

7. New Hoover Convertible (1980)
From The New

8. One Ball 50/50 Tank (Spalding Dr. J Silver Series) (1985)
From Equilibrium

9. Michael Jackson and Bubbles (1988)
From Banality

10. Kiss With Diamonds (1991) and Cat (1991)
From Made in Heaven

11. Balloon Dog ( )
The orange version was sold for a record-setting $58.4 million in 2013!
From Celebration

12. Bibliography
“Jeff Koons.” Coskun Fine Art, Accessed 20 Nov “Jeff Koons.” The Guggenheim Museum, koons. Accessed 20 Nov “Jeff Koons: A Retrospective.” The Whitney Museum of American Art, Accessed 20 Nov Johnson, Kirk. “New York City Has Sharp Rise In Jobless Rate.” The New York Times, rise-in-jobless-rate.html. Accessed 20 Nov