Amore, 1988
Information about the artwork
- Translated titleLove
- MaterialPorcelain
- Dimensions80 x 50 x 50 cm
- Year of acquisition1988
- Inventory numberUAB 258
- On viewCurrently not exhibited
More about the artwork
Jeff Koons is a master of kitsch—even if he would not say so himself. In his eyes, his “optimistic” art simply opens itself up to a wider audience. Especially the “Banality” series, to which “Amore” belongs and with which Koons suddenly advanced to a star artist, broke with the aesthetic and intellectual preferences of the art world. He found his inspiration in the tastes of the masses: souvenir objects, pop stars, or stuffed animals. His teddy bear promises love: the word “Amore” is displayed on its bib, the heart on his right paw declares “I ? you”. A honey pot, Rococo-esque base, and the delicate colors painted on the porcelain make for a literally sugar-sweet work. But is the little bear as harmless as it seems? Perhaps what is hidden behind all its loveliness is the ominous notion of art as the new “opium of the people.” For in an advertisement that Koons designed to accompany the “Banality” series, a blackboard behind him stated: “Exploits the masses” and “Banality as savior.”
