Jeff Koons' Made in Heaven Series Blurs Art and Pornography

Jeff Koons, whose career began around 1979, has long challenged boundaries between art and kitsch. In 1989, he launched the series Made in Heaven, featuring himself and Italian pornstar Ilona Staller (Cicciolina), whom he married to lend credibility to the works. The series includes posters and glass sculptures depicting explicit sexual poses, referencing paintings like Édouard Manet's Olympia and Japanese ukiyo-e prints. Koons employed Staller's regular photographer and glamour backdrops to mimic advertising aesthetics. The marriage ended in a custody battle over their son, which Staller won, moving to Italy to continue her career. The works are held in collections including the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, and Centre Pompidou, Paris.