PS 33 Meets Jeff Koons
Nov 3, 2014
Alexandra and Steven Cohen, Jeff Koons, and PS 33 students in front of Koons’s Hanging Heart (Violet/Gold) (1994-2006), October 2014. Photograph by Filip Wolak
This fall, the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation supported the Whitney’s Guided Visits program for Jeff Koons: A Retrospective. Thanks to their generosity, over 3,500 New York City public school students visited the exhibition free of charge. 80% of these visits took place when the Whitney was closed to the general public so the students could see the art without the crowds. This exhibition was very popular and we wanted to make sure that our students were treated like VIPs! On October 14, a group of third graders from our partnership school PS 33 had a special surprise: they got to meet the Cohens and Jeff Koons.
Left to right: Alexandra Cohen, Jeff Koons, and Steven Cohen talk with students about Balloon Dog (Yellow) (1994-2000), October 2014. Photograph by Filip Wolak
Steven Cohen introduced Jeff Koons and asked him to start the discussion by telling students where he gets his inspiration and ideas. Then students had the opportunity to ask Koons their own questions. One child wondered how heavy the Balloon Dog (Yellow) (1994-2000) sculpture was. Koons replied that it was heavier than all the kids in their class put together! This elicited many oohs, aahs, and giggles from the children. Another student asked “What is your favorite sculpture that you made?” Koons tactfully avoided answering which was his absolute favorite!
“I loved seeing the faces of the children as they saw Jeff's work. It was sheer amazement and joy,” Steve Cohen said about the experience. “Jeff has a natural way of connecting with the kids, and I loved the questions they asked. They were the same questions we all ask about Jeff’s work, but so pure and clear.”
Koons explains how Balloon Dog (Yellow) (1994-2000) was made, October 2014. Photograph by Filip Wolak
The students were curious to hear how Koons actually made the Balloon Dog sculpture. The artist explained that he used X-rays of a balloon dog made from a real balloon to make sure that the puckers and creases could be replicated exactly in his much bigger stainless steel version. Koons said that he wanted the surface of his shiny Balloon Dog to be reflective so that viewers could see themselves in his artwork.
Students look at Koons’s work, October 2014. Photograph by Filip Wolak
After the tour, PS 33 art teacher Michelle Kurlan Schneider wrote: “It was an incredible experience that we will all remember forever. The students will be talking about this for years to come. His calming demeanor truly captivated them. They soaked it all in!. . .Students, teachers, and even parents were inspired from the experience. There were tons of discussions going on in the classrooms and the hallways all afternoon. We cannot even begin to thank you.”
By Dina Helal, Manager of Education Resources and Heather Maxson, Director of School, Youth, and Family Programs