Jeff Koons

Jeff Koons, the self-proclaimed "most written-about artist in the world," has attained "star" status. However, the Koons phenomenon -- Koons himself, his objects, and the discursive reception that surrounds it all -- seems gravely paradoxical. This problem arises because Koons is made out to be a critical commentator in the tradition of the Dadaists, a controversial figure in the footsteps of the avant-garde. Yet, Koons' art historical glory resides in the fact that he is flat -- no depth, all surface (even flatter than Warhol). This meaninglessness and banality, if nothing else, is his most important contribution to art.