Summer art and Starry Night, still life with silver bowl

Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Van Gogh, and Jeff Koons: in Seoul this summer and my July art column for 10. Enjoy.

Jeff Koons loves Shinsegae

I was already on the subway home when I saw the bag. Jeff Koons Loves Shinsegae, it said. At the bus stop I followed the flow of bags into the department store. Everywhere inside were shiny balloons reading JEFF and mannequined t-shirts and posters of his sculpture Sacred Heart.

There was no artist collaboration section or anything on sale to be seen. All the information desk could tell me was that something was happenig at a Shinsegae across town. On a pay-per minute PC back at the station I learned I'd missed an artist-in-attendance by only hours.

The Shinsegae website shows cups, necklaces, and t-shirts celebrating Sacred Heart for sale. Turns out Shinsegae is excited about its own purchase. The company recently bought Sacred Heart, which I saw ontop the MET, to perch on its Myeongdong store.

On the web I found the reason for the love affair. The purchase price of Sacred Heart, before any endorsement deal: 30 billion won (25 mil) hard cash. So who says money can't buy love?

Dog wars

There is a dog made from scraps of garbage standing guard of Dongdaemun, in case Jeff Koon's rose puppy ever comes around looking to start a fight. For the record, I've got five bucks on Seoul.

Good morning Central Park.

There are very few things I'd rather do in the morning than sleep in and get a late brunch with friends. But nothing was going to stop me from seeing the Jeff Koons exhibit on the roof of the Met. The first time we tried to see the show it was raining and the roof was closed. Only slightly irritated, we woke up the next morning, hiked across Central Park, and penciled a visit to the museum into our morning plans. 

It was worth it. While the show only boasted three pieces (hardly enough to call it an exhibit) the backdrop was hard to beat. The Met's roof offers a scenic view of the city, and I'm a sucker for Koons' shiny sculptures. The art star takes a lot of criticism. Early in his career he took out full page ads advertising himself in art magazines and hired an image consultant to work with him on his public image. Both were unheard of in the art world. 

Critics have called him tasteless for immortalizing his sex life with former wife (and pornstar) Cicciolina, claimed he's ripping off pop culture and/or other artists and said he is shamelessly cashing in on the popularity of the conceptual. But I think he's clever, I think puppies are cute and I love some of his new work (below). If you're in New York, go see the show, and make sure you check out the amazing Superhero/Fashion exhibit in the main area. Dior & Batman in the same room? Yes, please.

Everyone likes to collage. 

Even shinier in the sun.

Busy.

Tourist shot for good measure.