Thursday, February 18th, 2010
Details of Controversial Koons-Curated Joannou Exhibit Emerge
Jeff Koons’ One Ball Total Equilibrium Tank (1985) was the first major art acquisition by collector Dakis Joannou, and the only piece of the artist’s work to be shown in the collector’s forthcoming New Museum survey, Skin Fruit: Selections from the Dakis Joannou Collection (Image: the Dakis Joannou Collection, Athens)
The New Museum of New York has just released the details of an already debated exhibition of works from the treasure chest of billionaire collector Dakis Joannou. Though parts of the collection have previously been on view at Joannou’s own DESTE Foundation in Anthens, as well as in Paris and Vienna, the upcoming New York exhibit has skeptics voicing concerns of nepotism. Critics say the show is an obvious conflict of interest, arguing that Joannou, who is one of the museum’s trustees, could easily see the notoriety and value of his collection catapult.
Titled Skin Fruit, the show, which runs March 3 – June 6, will include 100+ works by 50 international artists, selected from the Joannou Collection by guest curator, Jeff Koons (whose work will also appear in the exhibit). Koons’ very first solo showing with a museum was held at the New Museum in 1980, when his Hoover vacuum cleaner installation was displayed in the windows of their former 5th Ave. location. The artist has also been heavily supported by Joannou, who owns 40 of Koons works, along with his 2008 yacht commission.
For more thorough investigative journalism regarding the debate over the exhibit, check out the always enlightening Culturegrrl here
The 50 selected artists are as follows:
Paweł Althamer
David Altmejd
Janine Antoni
assume vivid astro focus
Tauba Auerbach
Matthew Barney
Vanessa Beecroft
Ashley Bickerton
John Bock
Mark Bradford
Maurizio Cattelan
Paul Chan
Dan Colen
Nigel Cooke
Roberto Cuoghi
Nathalie Djurberg
Haris Epaminonda
Urs Fischer
Robert Gober
Matt Greene
Mark Grotjahn
Adam Helms
Jenny Holzer
Elliott Hundley
Mike Kelley
Terence Koh
Jeff Koons
Liza Lou
Nate Lowman
Mark Manders
Paul McCarthy
Dave Muller
Takashi Murakami
Tim Noble and Sue Webster
Cady Noland
Chris Ofili
Seth Price
Richard Prince
Charles Ray
Tino Sehgal
Jim Shaw
Cindy Sherman
Kiki Smith
Christiana Soulou
Jannis Varelas
Kara Walker
Gillian Wearing
Andro Wekua
Franz West
Christopher Wool
2 Responses to “Details of Controversial Koons-Curated Joannou Exhibit Emerge”
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February 19th, 2010 at 2:32 am
Skin Fruit: Selections from the Dakis Joannou Collection Curated by Jeff Koons | Hypebeast said:
[…] Selections from the Dakis Joannou Collection Curated by Jeff Koonsby Eugene Kan, February 19, 2010The Art Collectors makes mention of a new controversial art exhibition recently announced involving the collection of […]
February 19th, 2010 at 4:01 am
Skin Fruit: Selections from the Dakis Joannou Collection Curated by Jeff Koons | The Express Art Blog said:
[…] The Art Collectors makes mention of a new controversial art exhibition recently announced involving the collection of billionaire contemporary art collector Dakis Joannou. The comprehensive showing at the New Museum of Contemporary Art will include over 100 pieces of art from 50 international artists with curation coming courtesy of Jeff Koons. The controversy stems from the fact that Dakis Joannou is a trustee within the participating publicly-funded New Museum gallery and the subsequent exhibition will undoubtedly enhance the value and exposure of his collection. Further commentary can be seen over at The New York Times. The exhibition will take place starting March 3rd, 2010 till June 6th, 2010. […]