Jeff Koons: EASYFUN-ETHEREAL

New to Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood is a colorful show of work by Jeff Koons presented at Gagosian Gallery. ‘Easyfun-Etherial’ is a series of paintings the contemporary artist began in the 1990s. First shown at the Guggenheim Berlin in 2000, the series expanded to include twenty-four large-scale paintings in total. Each of the layered, stylized works offers a spontaneously comprehensive depiction of culture and society. In each photorealistic canvas, Koons toys with objective subject matter through computer-scanned images of lips, food, eyes, hair and vibrant topography, coupled with erotic undertones. In almost two decades since completion, these works have evolved significantly with the changing landscape of culture, providing entirely new context and meaning. Seven of these illusionist paintings, along with one sculpture from Koons’ Antiquity series, are now on view at Gagosian Gallery 24th street; a ‘Must See’ show for anyone in search of a vibrant, multi-layered dose of contemporary art.