In 'Dr JK', Jeff Koons juggles his famous basketballs, against a backdrop of the American dream. Carefully engineered with a combination of plywood and printed canvas, this multifaceted artwork by Axel Bottenberg is the perfect ode to Koons, who is one of Bottenberg's major influences.
- Dimensions: 80 x 122 x 5cm
- Price: £4400.00
'Dr JK' is Axel Bottenberg's ode to Jeff Koons. Bottenberg became captivated by Koons after seeing his iconic basketball sculptures in the Saatchi Gallery in London - Bottenberg describes Koons as a "stroke of genius", and felt inspired to make a piece which reflects this infatuation. This piece was carefully engineered and built by Bottenberg by printing patterns onto canvas and stretching it over plywood, whilst inserting smaller round plywood cut-outs to elevate the surface and make the basketball motifs appear 3D. Bottenberg then went back and painted onto this manipulated surface with paint, stencils, and spray paint, producing a piece which blurs the boundaries of painting and sculpture. These 3D details really bring this piece to life, and reflects Bottenberg's interest in making objects as well as images - this element of building and engineering within Bottenberg's oeuvre satisfies an urge that can't be fulfilled by painting alone. “The technical challenges behind this painting are unbelievable” Although Bottenberg considers Jeff Koons the conman of the art world, by placing him on a pedestal there is an immediate tone of humour and irony within this work. Bottenberg often uses humour and pop culture references as a way of making his works familiar and accessible to a wide audience - he wants his work to appeal to people, not just art professionals, which is perhaps a reflection of his previous career as an art teacher in a secondary school. His works often incorporate a contrast of high and low art, taking inspiration from 1960s pop art and its resurgence in the 1990s. This piece is no exception - with garish reds and yellows and the animated quality of the juggling basketballs, this piece is endlessly entertaining and controversial - Bottenberg's works are renowned for their ability to provoke and entertain their audience in a way that's totally unique and captivating. Axel Bottenberg's works are exciting and unapologetic, and would make the perfect addition to any contemporary art collection.
Axel Bottenberg is a German artist who works with a range of mixed media to create compelling compositions which blur the boundaries of painting and sculpture. Bottenberg is now based at Bankley Studios in Levenshulme, Manchester, and is renowned for challenging the sphere of contemporary art through his practice. Bottenberg's oeuvre is imbued with entertaining pop culture and art historical references, and his works often reject art tradition through juxtaposing high and low art iconographies. Graduating from the Royal College of Art in 1989 during Thatcher’s Britain and alongside the YBAs (Young British Artists), Bottenberg’s practice is inevitably imbued with social commentary and irony. Bottenberg is heavily inspired by 1960s Pop Art and its resurgence in the 1990s by artists such as Jeff Koons, which he portrays through his own eclectic lens and bold colour palette. Any piece from Axel Bottenberg's oeuvre would be a valuable and compelling asset to any contemporary art collection, space or home.
Other images of Dr JK by Axel Bottenberg