Bouquet of tulips - a sculpture by Jeff Koons in Paris, near the Champs Elysees [1] [2] . The sculpture was created in 2016-2019 and is dedicated to the memory of the victims of terrorist attacks in Paris in November 2015 [1] . The composition depicts a part of the hand and a brush holding 11 tulips (the missing 12 flower is a symbol of the victims of the terrorist attack). The sculpture was created at the request of the former US ambassador to France, Jane Hartley , who thereby wanted to express support for the French [3] .
The sculpture is based on the idea of the 1958 Bouquet of Peace lithograph by Pablo Picasso and has a direct reference to the torch in the hand of the Statue of Liberty [4] , which was created by the French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdy and donated to the United States. Also, during a press conference on the announcement of the project, Koons defined the inspiration for this new work as impressionist flowers by Claude Monet and rococo floral paintings by Francois Boucher and Jean-Honore Fragonard [5] .
Sculpture Place
The French authorities and the sculptor negotiated for three years on the issue of finding the location of the donated sculpture [6] .
Initially, “Bouquet of Tulips” Jeff Koons wanted to install between the Tokyo Palace and the Museum of Modern Art. Against this, the Parisians protested [7] . The petition against the installation of the sculpture was signed by almost nine thousand people [8] . On January 21, 2018, the Libération newspaper published a letter from 23 French cultural figures (among them director Olivier Assayas , French artist , sculptor , photographer and film director Christian Boltansky , former Minister of Culture Frederic Mitterrand , architect Dominic Perrot ) under the heading Non au “cadeau” de Jeff Koons ("No to Jeff Koons' Gift"). The signatories point out that the place chosen by the author for the installation of the sculpture has nothing to do with the tragic events and their location (the tragedy occurred in the eastern regions of Paris), and it seems, to put it mildly, surprising, if not opportunistic, then even cynical [9] .
The second location was Ms. Nissen's proposal for La Villette Park in the north-east of Paris. The designer of the park, the Franco-Swiss architect Bernard Chumi, and the sculptor Jeff Koons, opposed this. [10]
The final version of the installation site of the sculpture square near Petit Palais [11]
Production
The sculpture is about 12 meters high, weighing 33 tons, made of stainless steel, polychrome aluminum and bronze [12] .
The sculpture was made by the Noirmontartproduction production and exhibition company (founder - Jerome de Noirmont ). The financial costs of manufacturing, transportation, installation is estimated at more than 3 million US dollars. To create a work (estimated $ 3.2 million was required) [13] it was launched to raise funds, it was carried out by the non-profit foundation Fonds de Paris.
The sculpture began to be brought to Paris in parts from Germany, starting in the summer of 2019 and it is expected that its full installation will be completed by the Museum Night scheduled for October 5 [14] .
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 Anna Sansom. The installation of the scandalous “Tulip Bouquet” by Jeff Koons began in Paris . The Art Newspaper Russia (August 27, 2019). Date accessed August 31, 2019.
- ↑ Par Eric Le MitouardLe 21 août 2019 à 21h22. Les Tulipes de Koons arrivent ce jeudi soir sur les Champs-Elysées (French) . leparisien.fr (21 août 2019). Date accessed August 31, 2019.
- ↑ Olesya Khantsevich. The scandalous sculpture of Jeff Koons still found a place in Paris . The Art Newspaper Russia (October 15, 2018). Date accessed August 31, 2019.
- ↑ Gareth Harris. Jeff Koons will create a monument to the victims of the Paris attacks . The Art Newspaper Russia (November 23, 2016). Date accessed August 31, 2019.
- ↑ Jeff koons offers a sculpture in Paris in memory of the attacks of 2015 - 🏕 France - 2019 . World tourism group. Date of treatment September 1, 2019.
- ↑ In Paris, there was still a place for the “Tulip Bouquet” by Jeff Koons . BURO .. Date accessed September 1, 2019.
- ↑ Bouquet of contention: Does Paris need giant Jeff Koons tulips? . RFI (February 6, 2018). Date accessed August 31, 2019.
- ↑ Non aux tulipes de Jeff Koons (Fr.) . Avaaz. Date accessed August 31, 2019.
- ↑ Non au "cadeau" de Jeff Koons (Fr.) . Libération.fr (21 janvier 2018). Date accessed August 31, 2019.
- ↑ Anna Sansom. The installation of the scandalous “Tulip Bouquet” by Jeff Koons began in Paris . The Art Newspaper Russia (August 27, 2019). Date of treatment September 1, 2019.
- ↑ Olesya Khantsevich. The scandalous sculpture of Jeff Koons still found a place in Paris . The Art Newspaper Russia (October 15, 2018). Date of treatment September 1, 2019.
- ↑ "Bouquet of Tulips" by Jeff Koons is taken to Paris . RIA Novosti (20190823T0521 + 0300Z). Date accessed August 31, 2019.
- ↑ Gareth Harris. Jeff Koons will create a monument to the victims of the Paris attacks . The Art Newspaper Russia (November 23, 2016). Date of treatment September 1, 2019.
- ↑ Fragments of the sculpture “A bouquet of tulips” by Koons began to be brought to Paris . RFI (August 22, 2019). Date of treatment September 1, 2019.