Balloon Swan (Yellow)

Jeff Koons transforms a simple twisted balloon swan into a reflective yellow porcelain limited edition, Balloon Swan (Yellow). Incorporating the vocabulary of his iconic Celebration sculptures, Balloon Swan, along with two other animals, Balloon Monkey and Balloon Rabbit, marked a spectacular new chapter in Koons’s oeuvre.

Koons had an epiphany when he first saw the swan’s two-dimensional form on the computer as for the artist it represents at the same time male and female aspects. The figure of the swan has always had significant personal resonance for the artist; it was one of the first sculptures Koons made at 9 years old in ceramic, for which the young artist diligently worked on to get the angle of the neck correct.

“Balloon Swan harmonizes sexual energy. If you look at it from the front, it’s totem-like and male. If you go to the side it becomes female. Balloon Swan is reminiscent of classical works, it defines beauty as sexual harmony.” —Jeff Koons