Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Proposed Jeff Koons Train Monstrosity
A giant Jeff Koons puppy might be cute and bring smiles to the faces of thousands of people, but a giant train hanging from a crane probably won't do much for people.. other than confuse them and make them think that all art sucks.
If realized, the 161 foot tall hanging train would be located at the entrance of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, just like his giant Puppy graces the entrance of the Bilbao Guggenheim Museum.
"Mr. Koons imagines periodic chugging noises. "It will be absolutely so authentic a performance of a train," he said, that it could fool "an engineer who’s worked on a train his whole life."
"Mr. Govan compared the project to the Eiffel Tower, expressing hope that the piece would become a landmark for Los Angeles. “The beautiful thing,” he said, “is that we would see it from the 10 freeway and from downtown." NY Times
>> Art Controversies, Famous Artists ¶ 11:56 PM
A giant Jeff Koons puppy might be cute and bring smiles to the faces of thousands of people, but a giant train hanging from a crane probably won't do much for people.. other than confuse them and make them think that all art sucks.If realized, the 161 foot tall hanging train would be located at the entrance of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, just like his giant Puppy graces the entrance of the Bilbao Guggenheim Museum.
"Mr. Koons imagines periodic chugging noises. "It will be absolutely so authentic a performance of a train," he said, that it could fool "an engineer who’s worked on a train his whole life."
"Mr. Govan compared the project to the Eiffel Tower, expressing hope that the piece would become a landmark for Los Angeles. “The beautiful thing,” he said, “is that we would see it from the 10 freeway and from downtown." NY Times
>> Art Controversies, Famous Artists ¶ 11:56 PM
Of course artists in general have become more creative and more erm.. "contemporartistic", but this post makes me think: how far will this art go? To be honest, i wont be surprised if some day Artnewsblog will publish a post about art as a city.. all city as an art. .all country as an art (if you know what i mean).. I'm w-a-i-t-i-n-g ;)(The problem will appear about the storage of such an artpiece).
# posted by 
: 12:42 AM
: 12:42 AM
It isn't doing much for me conceptually, let alone aesthetically. The difference between Koons dog, or somebody like Claes Oldenburg work is that Koons train seems in scale. So what statement is he making other than a copy of a train hung from a crane. Is it some kind of statement about a mode of transportation that is no longer relevent?
Maybe he's just doing it because he can. So he can tell people at parties that he can persuade people to spend millions of dollars on doing the most ridiculous things he can imagine.
Other than bragging rights, I can't see a point to it.
I would much prefer a giant puppy or a even a giant pencil out the front my place. The train and the crane are both ugly things in my opinion.
Other than bragging rights, I can't see a point to it.
I would much prefer a giant puppy or a even a giant pencil out the front my place. The train and the crane are both ugly things in my opinion.
As proposed art, I think it steams rather then sucks, but that's a minor quibble. Strangely, for me, this strikes a rich vein of nastalgia: Meccano sets and steam trains. Takes me straight back to my boyhood. All it needs is Biggles in a Sopworth Camel tossing a lit bomb at the train!
P.S. City as a work of art. That's Brazilia, isn't it?
P.S. City as a work of art. That's Brazilia, isn't it?
My son would like this - he is two years old and is big into trains and engines... Artistically - I am not so sure...
Im sorry everyone, but I like it. I wouldnt have it in my house, but I think it would be worth going to see. Thats what arts all about for me - liking the look of something.
maybe he IS doing it because he can. If you could maybe you would, or maybe you think something else would look better? That would be up to you, but first you need an idea.
GO spend a fortune on a sign-written letter Q (or a number 12) on canvas. You'll feel a lot better Im sure.
maybe he IS doing it because he can. If you could maybe you would, or maybe you think something else would look better? That would be up to you, but first you need an idea.
GO spend a fortune on a sign-written letter Q (or a number 12) on canvas. You'll feel a lot better Im sure.
Yeah - I know someone that has worked with Koons on this project for the past couple of years and honestly we can't quite figure it out either.
What we do know is that Jeff Koons is a steam fan (from his earlier work) and that he does none of the work himself.
Koons is a master at marketing and likes to generate controversy, which gets him press, more backing and therefore, more projects.
I know a lot of truly talented fine artists that cannot stand this guy because they work their asses off and get nowhere and yet Koons pulls stunts like this and gets recognition (good or bad).
I guess it worked - It got a reaction out of all of us, didn't it?
What we do know is that Jeff Koons is a steam fan (from his earlier work) and that he does none of the work himself.
Koons is a master at marketing and likes to generate controversy, which gets him press, more backing and therefore, more projects.
I know a lot of truly talented fine artists that cannot stand this guy because they work their asses off and get nowhere and yet Koons pulls stunts like this and gets recognition (good or bad).
I guess it worked - It got a reaction out of all of us, didn't it?
# posted by : 8:42 PM
: 8:42 PM
Very true Melissa.
The guy is very talented..
A very talented marketer and a very talented entrepreneur.
He has a lot to teach artists that are struggling in their shed with a paintbrush.
I generally don't like his art much, but I love how he markets himself and is making a living from his art.
The guy is very talented..
A very talented marketer and a very talented entrepreneur.
He has a lot to teach artists that are struggling in their shed with a paintbrush.
I generally don't like his art much, but I love how he markets himself and is making a living from his art.
Jeff Koons is a poser - that's a name for someone with no skill that pretends to be an artist. Koons sucks. If we ignore him, maybe he'll go away.
Its not a "Train". Its a Locomotive. A train implies a series of connected carriages.
# posted by : 2:29 PM
: 2:29 PM
Mr. Koons needs to lay his neck across the rail when he hears the next train coming. I can see the exquisite fountain of color spurting from his carotids as he gets his just due . . . zzzzzzz
# posted by : 6:43 PM
: 6:43 PM
how ironic. artist not supporting other artist - go figure. i think koon's work is interesting and fun to look at - is yours?
I don't consider him an artist, he's maybe a designer, but he doesn't actually make the peices he just tells his staff what he has in mind and then they get to it.
The piece is pure genius, it is public art. It will be installed at the Los Angeles County Art Museum. Wake up and smell the contemporary art, Jeff Koons is our artist, lets embrace him.
# posted by : 11:38 AM
: 11:38 AM
I LOVE IT!!Whoever thought of combining the two best things in the world.. cranes and steam trains!
Its so horrific-accident-frozen-in-time/gravity challenged/ cool machinery fighting!
Its so horrific-accident-frozen-in-time/gravity challenged/ cool machinery fighting!
Ps. Its not about some statement, its about the experience of it, the absurdity of it, and ultimately, the beauty and power of these two magnificent icons of industrialization.
Yeah if trains and cranes do it for you, it must be an exciting project.
The good thing about art is that it is never meant to please everyone.
I'm so glad that artists are artists and not politicians or economists..lol.
Or imagine if economomists and politicians were artists. We would have to fill up on caffeine before visiting art galleries to stay awake.
The good thing about art is that it is never meant to please everyone.
I'm so glad that artists are artists and not politicians or economists..lol.
Or imagine if economomists and politicians were artists. We would have to fill up on caffeine before visiting art galleries to stay awake.
Jeff Koons Doesnt know art he just put scribbles and obsurd images together yes it may be creative and a good example of imagination but random images and scribbles are not art... i agree with Neugebauer maybe if we ignore him he'll just go away.. and y would you put suck a god ugly thing in front of a beautiful museum???
# posted by : 9:04 AM
: 9:04 AM
locomotive VS Crane, hillarious.
What makes it so powerful is it's a scene you'd expect a kid to create with his tonka trucks and toy trains.
Very nostalgic and reminescent of play.
What makes it so powerful is it's a scene you'd expect a kid to create with his tonka trucks and toy trains.
Very nostalgic and reminescent of play.
# posted by : 10:23 AM
: 10:23 AM
I can't believe I need to spell this out for some readers, but the beauty of this piece is one that can only be experienced once it is installed. Please imagine for a moment standing below this goliath; we've all experienced the subtle tinge of fear as a large train passes by a bit too close for comfort feeling the rumble deep in our chest, the instinctive twitch in the ear as we walk beneath a large constuction site crane. To me this piece is about humbling us in the face of nothing more than sheer mass. Intimidation by nothing more than iron and steel.
I think it's premature to judge someone's art before it has even been created. We simply can't "get" this piece without staring it in the face. I strongly believe that the voices who scream the loudest against Mr. Koons are themselves artists who perhaps wish they were in his well-deserved position as arguably the world's most successful artist. Yes, Mr. Koons is indeed an artist. I applaud this effort. The analogy to the Eiffel Tower is appropriate because it too was so considered an eyesore by impassioned Parisians that they demanded it be torn down.
I think it's premature to judge someone's art before it has even been created. We simply can't "get" this piece without staring it in the face. I strongly believe that the voices who scream the loudest against Mr. Koons are themselves artists who perhaps wish they were in his well-deserved position as arguably the world's most successful artist. Yes, Mr. Koons is indeed an artist. I applaud this effort. The analogy to the Eiffel Tower is appropriate because it too was so considered an eyesore by impassioned Parisians that they demanded it be torn down.
# posted by : 1:04 AM
: 1:04 AM
pERSONALLY i BELIEVE KOONS TO BE A GREAT ARTIST FOR SEVERAL REASONS. AS FAR AS HIS ART... HE DOES WHAT HE DOES BECAUSE HE WANTS TO... BECAUSE HE CAN.. ITS CALLED BEING SUCCESSFULL AT WHAT YOU DO. HE MADE IT. HIGH FIVE FOR HIM. DONT SIT AND CRY ABOUT LIFE, DO IT.. HIS SCULPTURES AND PAINTINGS ARE NOTHING LESS THAN AMAZING. IF ITS NOT YOUR STYLE, ITS NOT YOUR STYLE. BUT GIVE SOME PROPS WHEN PROPS ARE EARNED... ART IS FOR EVERYONE... EVERYONE HAS OPINIONS... AS FAR AS SOME COMMENTS ABOUT HE DOES IT FOR BRAGGING RIGHTS AND PARTY TALKS... HAHA ARE YOU KIDDING... YOU THINK HE GIVES A RATS ARS ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK?!?!?! SERIOUSLY. I DO HOWEVER SLIGHTLY AGREE ON THE SIZE COMMENT. HE USUALLY CHANGES SIZE FOR EFFECT... BUT AS HIS ALLUMINUM INFLATABLES... THEY ARE REPLICATED IN SIZE, BUT NOT MEDIUM... YOU DON'T REALLY THINK HE IS GOING TO MAKE IT OUT OF BORING OL' METAL AND IRON DO YOU?!?!?!? DUH... HE WOULD USE SOMETHING MUCH MORE IMAGINATIVE.... HES AN ARTIST. HES KOONS!
the crane is hideous and it reminds me of a mcdonalds. the train is beautiful.
# posted by : 11:03 AM
: 11:03 AM
Probably the most exciting piece of public art I've seen in America (so excluding awesome European public art) and that includes the millennium project.
Whenever you talk about Art you're going to get a bunch of peanut gallery artists complaining about where the money is going. They're just jealous.
I for one am thrilled and can only hope the piece goes up soon. It's the sort of gates / waterfalls project that will get some real traction/interest in public art in general, which is always a benefit to all involved in the public art field.
Whenever you talk about Art you're going to get a bunch of peanut gallery artists complaining about where the money is going. They're just jealous.
I for one am thrilled and can only hope the piece goes up soon. It's the sort of gates / waterfalls project that will get some real traction/interest in public art in general, which is always a benefit to all involved in the public art field.
# posted by : 6:53 AM
: 6:53 AM
This piece is perfect for LA
- a vapid and pointless centerpiece for throngs of gawkers to snap a photo of.
- a vapid and pointless centerpiece for throngs of gawkers to snap a photo of.
# posted by : 8:33 AM
: 8:33 AM
hes making a comment about the end of the analogue age, everything is digital and anything analogue is almost redundent.
The train is analogue but the system he's using to power the train is digital.
He does it in a koons way though; using scale and complete shock and awe.
hope this helps.
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The train is analogue but the system he's using to power the train is digital.
He does it in a koons way though; using scale and complete shock and awe.
hope this helps.
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