When John Waters met Jeff Koons to discuss art
Both Jeff Koons and John Waters are important figures in the art community, albeit for completely different reasons. While Waters is often regarded as one of the most transgressive pioneers of American cinema, Koons attracts an equal amount of attention (and especially criticism) for his ability to exploit the capitalist frameworks of modern art. That’s exactly why a meeting between the two managed to pique the interests of cinephiles as well as art enthusiasts.
Although Waters’ subversive art is significantly different from Koons’ brand of kitsch, the filmmaker told the LA Times that he was scared by Koons’ approach to art. When asked about Koons, Waters said: “He’s incredibly serious and, at the same time, misleading but also impenetrable. Which means sometimes you look at his work and you’re struck dumb by it — and I like that. It’s often cheery and upbeat, but it’s also scary.”
In the same interview with LA Times, Koons claimed that Waters’ films exhibit a lack of judgement that is particularly refreshing in today’s climate. According to the artist, it’s the same kind of acceptance that is a recurring theme present in his transformation of mundane objects. “I find in my work acceptance plays a big role,” he says. “When I think of John’s films, they’re often about being open to the world and not having judgment. I’m a big fan.”
As a part of the ‘Un-Private Collection’ lecture series that is organised by the Broad Foundation and the Library Foundation of Los Angeles, Waters and Koon got together to talk about each others’ work, the current state of the contemporary art landscape as well as the highly subjective concept of taste. Paired together by the organisers because of the debate around “good taste” and “bad taste” in art criticism, their discussion went in a strange direction.
Although Koons failed to provide satisfactory responses to some of Waters’ inquisitive trajectories, the discussion is definitely a source of interesting facts about their personal lives. For one, Koons claimed that the reason he became an artist was because Led Zeppelin completely changed his life. “When I heard Led Zeppelin, it was a changing moment for me in my life,” he said. “I learned a lot about feeling through Zeppelin.”
In addition, the lecture also gave the audience some insights into Koons’ perception of his own artworks. The artist admitted that he often becomes sexually aroused while looking at his projects. When asked about it, Koons gave the example of his well-known piece Inflatable Flower and Bunny, saying: “a carrot to the mouth is like an orator, like how I’m speaking into a microphone, but it’s also a symbol of masturbation.”
Watch the entire discussion below.
