Contemporary artist Jeff Koons fused high fashion and high art in his latest project. The lauded artist, acclaimed for his Balloon Dog sculpture, transformed Hermès Birkin bags into “Readymade” objects to support Project Perpetual, a new initiative to benefit children at risk.
Birkin Bag (Shelf)
Koons’ ten new and unique works featuring the desirable handbags were sold at auction and raised over $5.5 million in funds to benefit The United Nations Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign in support of global childhood vaccines. The used handbags were donated by the likes of Marc Jacobs, Diane von Furstenberg, Naomi Campbell and Sofia Coppola and were graced with Koons’ artistic stamp prior to being featured.
Gazing Ball (Charity)
Koons’ Birkin Bag (Shelf) positioned nine Birkin bags as readymade objects on mirrors. His Gazing Ball (Charity) piece—a 6-foot-tall plaster sculpture inspired by Pablo Picaddo’s La Soupe painting—featured three handbags in the arms of a woman extending to a child. Both works were sold at the Project Perpetual Inaugural Dinner & Auction at the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York on November 9th.
