Gagosian Brings Monumental Koons Bronze to Art Basel Paris
The storied gallery presents an exceptional selection of twentieth and twenty first century works at the Grand Palais, anchored by a rarely exhibited polychrome sculpture of commanding scale and mesmerising illusionistic detail.
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Within the architectural splendour of the Grand Palais, Gagosian curates a presentation of remarkable artistic endeavour, assembling works of painting, sculpture and photography that resonate across the defining movements of the past century and into our contemporary moment. The gallery’s booth functions as a carefully orchestrated meditation on artistic vision and material mastery, each work speaking to the profound cultural currents that have shaped modern and contemporary practice.
At the heart of this presentation stands “Corks (Couple),” an extraordinary polychrome bronze sculpture by Jeff Koons that commands attention through its sheer physical presence. Rising to over three metres in height, the work embodies the artist’s distinctive approach to the quotidian object elevated to monumental scale. The sculpture depicts a cluster of oversized corks rendered with breathtaking illusionistic precision, each surface alive with meticulously detailed textures, wine stains, and the authentic imprints of origin and vintage markings.
A Masterwork of Trompe l’Oeil
What distinguishes this work is its profound engagement with the nature of perception and material transformation. The bronze, painted with polychromatic sensitivity, creates an almost vertiginous illusion of authenticity, inviting the viewer to reconcile the permanence of the material with the ephemeral nature of the objects depicted. The corks appear weathered by time and use, their surfaces speaking to the narratives of wine consumption and connoisseurship, yet rendered eternal through the artist’s vision and technical virtuosity.
The sculpture represents a rare glimpse of this monumental work, which has seldom been exhibited publicly. Its presence at Art Basel Paris speaks to the gallery’s commitment to presenting works of singular importance and artistic achievement, pieces that challenge and expand our understanding of sculpture’s possibilities.
Gagosian’s thoughtfully assembled presentation extends beyond this centrepiece, encompassing additional works that collectively trace the intellectual and aesthetic preoccupations of artistic practice across generations. The selection underscores the gallery’s distinguished position within the contemporary art world, its dedication to representing artists of visionary significance whose contributions have fundamentally shaped the visual landscape of our time.
Imagery courtesy of Gagosian (@gagosian).