Orange Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons

Jeff Koons’ Orange Balloon Dog is an elegant combination of childlike whimsy and adult introspection. The mirror-finish stainless steel, orange-coated dog sculpture captures the wonder of a common childhood experience, while expressing such somber undertones as the symbolism of life and death made evident by the ephemeral nature of balloons—a near-literal reflection of the human experience. When looking at this sculpture, the viewer sees themselves.

Koons’ Balloon Dogs are composites of as many as 60 distinct parts painstakingly welded into one transcendent piece. Intended to debut in the ‘90s, the series to which this Dog belongs took an additional ten years to transition from clay to steel. Koons worked with a Californian foundry over a period of years to hone the specialized, transparent color coating for the series. Orange Balloon Dog is one of five completed pieces, each bearing a unique transparent hue.