Jeff Koons' "Lobster" is a captivating sculpture that stands as a significant piece within his extensive body of work. Created in the period from 2007 to 2012, the sculpture is made of mirror-polished stainless steel with a transparent color coating, measuring 147 x 47.9 x 94 cm. This work is part of Koons' exploration of inflatable objects, a theme that has been recurrent in his work since the 1970s and prominently featured in the Popeye series in the early 2000s. "Lobster" particularly stands out for its vibrant color, meticulous finish, and the playful yet sophisticated rendition of an inflatable pool toy shaped like a lobster (Pinault Collection).
The lobster motif in art has a rich and complex history, often imbued with symbolic meaning. Salvador Dalí, for example, was fascinated by the lobster as a symbol, associating it with both sexual and Freudian themes in his collaborations with designer Elsa Schiaparelli. This duality of the lobster as a symbol—spanning from its representation of opulence in seventeenth-century still-life paintings to its embodiment of Freudian sexual symbols—echoes through Koons' "Lobster." Koons' rendition plays with these historical connotations, employing a common inflatable pool toy to invoke discussions on consumerism, sexuality, and the intersection of high and low culture (ELEPHANT).
"Lobster" reflects the artist's ongoing interest in re-contextualizing everyday objects into high art, challenging perceptions of value and taste. By transforming a simple, playful object into a polished, monumental sculpture, Koons continues his exploration of themes related to childhood, nostalgia, and the banality of everyday objects. The sculpture's highly reflective surface not only invites viewers to see their reflections but also to contemplate the contradictions between the object's original function as a toy and its elevated status as a work of art. This piece, like much of Koons' work, engages in a dialogue with art historical references and contemporary culture, making "Lobster" a multifaceted work that is both a visual delight and a conceptual puzzle.
Presented for the first time by the Pinault Collection at the "Jeff Koons Mucem" exhibition in 2021, "Lobster" encapsulates Koons' mastery in crafting visually striking and thought-provoking artworks. The sculpture's association with both pop art and the ready-made, as well as its allusions to surrealist and Dadaist works, underscore Koons' ability to navigate and reinterpret the vast landscape of art history through contemporary materials and themes (Pinault Collection).