Jeff Koons is the ex-Wall Street broker come wildly successful kitsch artist that critics around the world hate to love.
Previously married to Ilona “Cicciolina” Staller, a Hungarian pornstar who became a member of Italian parliament (true story), Koons is likely best known for his Statuary, Kiepenkerl series in which he cast several different inflatable toys in immaculate stainless steel. Pieces from this series are included in a current survey of his work at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago—his first solo US exhibition in 16 years.