Jeff Koons Sculpture Gifted to National Gallery of Australia

The National Gallery of Australia has acquired Balloon Venus Dolni Vestonice (Yellow), a major sculpture by celebrated American artist Jeff Koons, through a generous donation by collectors Steve and Kylie Shelley.

The striking 2.7-metre-high work, created between 2013-17, is constructed from highly polished stainless steel with a yellow finish and exemplifies Koons’ ability to reinterpret art history through contemporary practice. The sculpture is now on permanent display in the International Art collection on Level 1 at the National Gallery in Kamberri/Canberra.

Koons attended the official unveiling on 6 August, marking his participation as the first artist in the American Friends of the National Gallery of Australia (AFNGA) Visiting Creatives Program, with Jeffrey Gibson scheduled to follow in late 2025.

Part of Koons’ Antiquity series, Balloon Venus Dolni Vestonice (Yellow) is one of five unique versions created in violet, magenta, red, yellow and orange. The work draws inspiration from a tiny prehistoric fertility figure made of mammoth ivory from the Upper Palaeolithic period, believed to be among the earliest known representations of the human body.

“Koons’ reinterpreting of an ancient icon through his signature balloon-like form and industrial materials is both playful and surprising,” said Dr Lucina Ward, Senior Curator at the National Gallery. “The mirrored surface treatment reflects the viewer and surrounds, apart from scale being the most obvious difference between the source inspiration and Koons’ work.”

Known for his Neo-Pop aesthetics and monumental sculptures inspired by American popular culture, Koons employs mirrored surfaces to incorporate viewers and encourage multiple interpretations. The artist emphasised this participatory quality, stating: “Art is within the viewer; it’s about your essence and your own potential. Anybody coming to the National Gallery, looking at Balloon Venus, is going to see this work is about them.”

The acquisition represents a significant addition to the national collection, following recent works by internationally recognised artists including Edvard Munch, Tracey Emin, Julie Mehretu and Judy Chicago as the Gallery expands its contemporary art holdings.

Donors Steve and Kylie Shelley expressed their enthusiasm for making the work publicly accessible: “We believe it belongs in a public collection, where it can be experienced by all. Koons’ work sparks conversation and curiosity.”

The donation was facilitated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program.