Analyse Puppy
Jeff Koons used the visual language and advertising industry to communicate his message with the masses. Puppy is a 43-foot high West Highland Terrier by Koons. It crosses the line between elite and popular culture. Koons created his remarkable version of the topiary sculptures found in eighteenth-century formal gardens using computer modeling. Puppy was created from a series in stainless steel armatures. These armatures were designed to hold more than 25 tons soil and are irrigated by an internal watering system. Puppy is unlike other artifacts, it was not permanently installed. He has been seen in many places around the globe, including Australia and Germany. Puppy is now permanently installed here in Spain.
Puppy is made from a variety of flowers. New flowers were planted every time the sculpture was moved to a different location. Koons conscious decision to use flowers was an important one. It also helps define the sculpture’s meaning. From the time of creation to its impact on the viewer, the artist’s choice of material has a lasting impact on their art. Although interpretations are personal and individual, the material plays a significant role in the meaning that the artist has intended. Puppy, Koons’s artwork, is composed of flowers. Its purpose is to inspire optimism, confidence, security and happiness. Koon combined sentimental symbols and images – flowers with puppies – to elicit an emotion from his viewers. Koon used his elite topiary and canine breeding references from earlier work to combine with chia pets as well as the most popular greeting cards in modern culture. If the sculpture was made from bronze, steel or marble, it would have a totally different meaning. Puppy was designed to communicate with mass cultures. He has a friendly, familiar face that adds happiness and vibrancy. Puppy is surrounded by flowers that give it a relaxed, secure aura. The sculpture also has a living element. It is just like a dog that needs care and attention to keep it healthy. The message Koons intended would not be conveyed if a material such as bronze, steel, or marble is not comforting or warm. Puppy could still bring joy if it was made from one of these materials. However, viewers will still be able to see that Puppy is a dog and not just its cute face. As with most art pieces, Conjoined (Getlein 2408) by Roxy Paine’s meaning is dependent on its materials. Paine’s artworks combine the organic with the machined, challenging our perception of the worlds we control and those created by nature. Paine designed a 40-foot-tall sculpture that consists of two trees connected, whose branches join in the middle. Concrete and stainless-steel are used as the base of the sculpture. It symbolizes both what humans have control over and what nature has to offer. The meaning of the work could change if its materials changed. If the sculpture were made from real tree bark or flowers such as Puppy, then the message behind manmade would be lost. Although Conjoined and Puppy are different, Andy Goldsworthy’s meaning of Reconstructed Icicles would not change. Goldsworthy makes outdoor sculptures from a range of natural materials. These sculptures are only good for a few hours because of the tide and wind. Reconstructed Icicles is his work. He uses icicles which are reconstructed, frozen, and then he makes it. It wouldn’t change the meaning if the material did. This is because he is documenting the natural process of nature “erasing” the work. This could also be done with millions of other natural materials, such as snow, leaves and grass, stones, clay, and so on.
Like Goldsworthy’s pieces, many other artists make pieces that are only temporary. It is true that art can be transient, but it doesn’t mean that we have to accept it. Puppy, for instance, was beloved by many people before being permanently placed in Spain. The artistic expression and emotions that were felt when it was viewed does not have to be lost. Goldsworthy’s work was only temporary, but he was able photograph it to preserve its beauty and allow others to enjoy it.
Puppy wasn’t created permanently, but I have always considered the sculpture to be art. It’s art, from its creation to its completion, and the public’s reactions to it, it is my opinion. Koons used both the past as well as the present to inspire his viewers and to make their own Puppy images. Art, in my opinion, is the expression and use of imagination and creativity. Puppy’s beauty is not only appreciated, but also for its ability to make people feel happy, secure, and confident.
