Jeff Koons: A Retrospective

In Artforum editor-in-chief Michelle Kuo's prologue to this lavish catalogue for Jeff Koons's touring retrospective, she claims: "We have seen the future, and it is Jeff Koons." While discussions of contemporary art are prone to exaggeration, Koons perhaps earns more than his share of hyperbole and disdain. Happily, the contributors to this volume, edited by Whitney Museum of Art curator Rothkopf, wax rhapsodic about Koons, while recognizing that his work provokes unease in his viewers. The majority of the book is devoted to brilliant reproductions of his iconic work, from his oversize balloon animals to pornographic photos of the artist with his ex-wife. His creations are recognizable by their lavish audacity, and the catalogue's high production values do them justice. Likewise, critics and writers, including novelist Rachel Kushner and art dealer Jeffrey Deitch, successfully address the full range of Koons's aesthetic and cultural concerns. Koons is a ridiculously wealthy artist with considerable media savvy; rather than shy away from such truths, this retrospective faces them head-on. 306 color and 36 b&w illus. (July)