“Jeff Koons: Moon Phases” marks the artist’s long-awaited metaverse debut: he will launch 125 sculptures from the Kennedy Space Center to the moon on an Intuitive Machines lander later this year. Each depicts a phase of the moon—62 as seen from earth, 62 as seen from space, and one eclipse—and is named after an influential figure, among them Plato, Warhol, Nefertiti, Gandhi, Bowie, Ada Lovelace, and Helen Keller. The project is initiated by Patrick Colangelo of NFMoon and Chantelle Baier of 4Space, and presented by Pace Verso. It will also mark 50 years since the last crewed American lunar trip.
A 12-inch stainless steel, transparent colored, Moon Phase (Leonardo da Vinci) within its case rendering. Left is a rendering of the prototype cube containing 125 miniature reflective Moons with their colored surfaces and each with its unique Moon phase shadow. Right is a photographic cube representing the Moon Phases. Behind Moon Phase (Leonardo da Vinci) is a rendering showing a portion of the 125 Moon Phases from both Earth and space viewpoints, © Jeff Koons.
Each piece is comprised of three parts: a sculpture of the moon about one inch in diameter, to be installed on the moon in perpetuity; a large, spherical, stainless-steel, and glass-encased sculpture to remain on earth, with transparent colors depicting the moon’s surface, a gemstone marking the project’s landing; and a corresponding NFT which will image the lunar sculptures and alone contain Koons’ signature. The 125 miniature moon sculptures will be grouped in a sustainably built, transparent, compartmentalized cube according to the phases that they represent.
Moon Phases Website Landing Page, © Jeff Koons.
Intuitive Machines Nova-C Lunar Lander, courtesy of Intuitive Machines.
Koons’s precedent-quashing project comes as no surprise: his “Moon Phases” evoke works of four decades prior, materially echoing his reflective Rabbit sculpture and formally echoing his Equilibrium series of basketballs cased in watered tanks, half-Duchampian and half-advert. He aims now to, “create a historically meaningful NFT project rooted in humanistic and philosophical thought.” Space exploration, he believes, uniquely represents “our ability to transcend worldly constraints,” and he seeks now to laud the boldest human accomplishments on the planet by launching his work beyond it.
All proceeds from the 10th NFT sale will be donated to Doctors Without Borders in support of the organization’s medical humanitarian aid programs. A limited number will be available for sale through Pace.
Jeff Koons, “Rabbit,” 1986, stainless steel, 41 x 19 x 12 inches, © 2019 Christie’s Limited.
Jeff Koons, “One Ball Total Equilibrium Tank (Spalding Dr. J Silver Series) / (Spalding Dr. JK Silver Series),” 1985, glass, steel, sodium chloride reagent, distilled water, and one basketball, 64 3/4 x 30 3/4 x 13 1/4 inches, © Jeff Koons.
