Earlier this year Jeff Koons’s Seated Ballerina, a large-scale public art installation, rose into the air outside the Rockefeller Center in New York. The inflatable nylon sculpture stood 45 feet high and aimed to raise funds and awareness around missing children.
Often referencing historical imagery and found objects, Koons based Seated Ballerina on a small porcelain figurine. The sculpture acts as a contemporary iteration of the goddess Venus, and symbolizes notions of beauty and connectivity. Its reflective surface mirrors its immediate environment and engages with each viewer. The work aims to bring awareness to National Missing Children’s Month in May, in an effort to support organizations like the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC) that work tirelessly to create a safer world for children.
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“We’re thrilled to continue what’s become a Kiehl’s tradition of partnering with Jeff Koons,” says Chris Salgardo, President, Kiehl’s USA.”With more than 465,000 reports of missing children last year in the United States alone, it’s gratifying to know that via this fourth partnership with Koons and the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, we are able to make a difference in the lives of our children.”
“We are honored to work with Jeff Koons, Kiehl’s and Tishman Speyer to present Seated Ballerina at Rockefeller Center,” said Casey Fremont, Executive Director of Art Production Fund. “We believe in the power of collaboration, and we are thrilled to present a public art project that raises awareness of the urgent need to protect children worldwide.”
In honor of National Missing Children’s Month, Koons has also created a limited edition Seated Ballerina tin for the Midnight Recovery Collection. Kiehl’s will donate 100% of its net profits from the collection, up to $100,000, to directly benefit ICMEC. A fervent advocate for protecting children, Koons worked with ICMEC to co-found The Koons Family Institute on International Law & Policy in 2007 to combat child abduction and exploitation. He also serves on ICMEC’s Board of Directors. The installation highlights the longstanding relationship Kiehl’s has forged with Jeff Koons and ICMEC since 2011. Art Production Fund has also worked on a number of projects with Koons since 2009, donating a portion of sales from its Works on Whatever Collection to ICMEC.
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