Jeff Koons' Split-Rocker at Rockefeller Center Examined as Duchampian Ready-Made
From June 27 to September 12, 2014, Rockefeller Center showcased Jeff Koons' sculpture Split-Rocker (2000). This piece reimagines two children's rockers—a pony and a dinosaur—into an enormous planter, setting itself apart from conventional ready-mades by amplifying its original forms. Larry Gagosian remarked on its Duchampian qualities. This exhibition coincided with two significant shows: Jeff Koons: A Retrospective at the Whitney Museum (June 27-October 19, 2014) and Marcel Duchamp at Gagosian Gallery (June 26-August 29, 2014). Koons' previous works, such as New Hoover Convertibles (1981–87) and One Ball Total Equilibrium Tank (1985), also incorporated ready-made elements, yet while Duchamp's pieces often explore erotic themes, Koons addresses issues of race, gender politics, and economic disparity.
Key facts
- Jeff Koons' Split-Rocker was exhibited at Rockefeller Center from June 27th to September 12th, 2014
- The sculpture transforms two toy rockers into a monumental planter
- Larry Gagosian described the work as "really a ready-made"
- Jeff Koons: A Retrospective ran at the Whitney Museum June 27-October 19, 2014
- Marcel Duchamp exhibition at Gagosian Gallery occurred June 26-August 29, 2014
- Koons' earlier works include vacuum cleaner and basketball installations from the 1980s
- The sculpture represents a departure from traditional ready-mades through scale alteration
- Ready-mades require machine-made artifacts, making them distinctively modernist
Entities
Artists
- Jeff Koons
- Marcel Duchamp
- Andy Warhol
- Donatello
- Michelangelo
- Arthur Danto
- Calvin Tomkins
- Larry Gagosian
Institutions
- Rockefeller Center
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- Gagosian Gallery
- artcritical
Locations
- New York
- United States
- France