# Balloon Dog

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For actual balloon dogs, see [balloon modelling](/source/Balloon_modelling).

***Balloon Dog*** is a series of sculptures by the American artist [Jeff Koons](/source/Jeff_Koons). There are different versions of this sculpture, made between 1994 and 2000, with each having a different color: blue, magenta, yellow, orange and red. All versions of the sculpture are made of stainless steel, using different coatings to produce the different colors.[1][2]

## Background and concept

*Balloon Dog* is part of Koons' [*Celebration*](/source/Jeff_Koons#Celebration_series) series of artworks and is one of many sculptures inspired by inflatable characters, including *Balloon Swan* (2004–2011),[3] *Balloon Rabbit* (2005–2010), and *Balloon Monkey* (2006-2013).[4] Koons said about the series, "I've always enjoyed [balloon animals](/source/Balloon_animal) because they're like us ... We're balloons. You take a breath and you inhale, it's an optimism. You exhale, and it's kind of a symbol of death".[5]

## Variants

[The Broad](/source/The_Broad) contemporary art museum in Los Angeles has a copy of *Balloon Dog (Blue)*.[6]

In 2013, *Balloon Dog (Orange)* sold at [Christie's](/source/Christie's) for $58.4 million.[7] As of January 2025, it is the [fifth most expensive work sold by a living artist at auction](/source/List_of_most_expensive_artworks_by_living_artists).

On February 19, 2023, a small 16 in (41 cm) copy worth $42,000, one of a limited edition of 799, was destroyed by a woman visiting the Art Wynwood art fair in [Miami](/source/Miami), Florida. She was observed tapping the object with her index finger, causing it to topple over and shatter. The limited edition in [Limoges porcelain](/source/Limoges_porcelain) was produced by the French company [Bernardaud](/source/Bernardaud).[8]

## In popular culture

In the video game *[Grand Theft Auto Online](/source/Grand_Theft_Auto_Online)*, developers released *Yellow Dog with Cone*, a derivative piece of [virtual art](/source/Virtual_art) inspired by *Balloon Dog*. *Yellow Dog with Cone* is available for purchase by players in-game and quickly rose in popularity among fans.[9]

In the 2023 film *[Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse](/source/Spider-Man:_Across_the_Spider-Verse)*, a rendering of the *Balloon Dog (Blue)* is prominently featured in a scene set in the [Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum](/source/Solomon_R._Guggenheim_Museum).[10][11] In response, Koons said he was "thrilled" to be a part of the film.[12]

## See also

- [*Rabbit*](/source/Rabbit_(Koons)), 1986, a series of three identical sculptures by Koons; one of which is the most expensive work sold by a living artist at auction

## References

1. ["Jeff Koons Artwork: Balloon Dog"](http://www.jeffkoons.com/artwork/celebration/balloon-dog-0). *Jeff Koons*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220709142205/http://www.jeffkoons.com/artwork/celebration/balloon-dog-0) 2022-07-09 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2022-09-19.

1. ["Jeff Koons on Reimagining His Famed 'Balloon Dog' in Porcelain: 'We Are Balloons Ourselves'"](https://www.artnews.com/art-news/artists/jeff-koons-michel-bernardaud-interview-porcelain-balloon-dog-1234610045/). *ARTnews.com*. 2021-11-15. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211116093624/https://www.artnews.com/art-news/artists/jeff-koons-michel-bernardaud-interview-porcelain-balloon-dog-1234610045/) 2021-11-16 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2022-09-19.

1. ["Sexy contemporary antiquities"](https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2012/07/07/sexy-contemporary-antiquities). *The Economist*. [ISSN 0013-0613](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0013-0613). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230201205731/https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2012/07/07/sexy-contemporary-antiquities) February 1, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 24, 2023.

1. ["Jeff Koons: New Paintings and Sculpture, 555 West 24th Street, New York, May 9 – June 29, 2013"](https://gagosian.com/exhibitions/2013/jeff-koons-new-paintings-and-sculpture/). *Gagosian*. April 12, 2018. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230213164902/https://gagosian.com/exhibitions/2013/jeff-koons-new-paintings-and-sculpture/) February 13, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 24, 2023.

1. ["6 Jeff Koons Sculptures That Have Helped Define His Pop Culture-Inspired Career"](https://mymodernmet.com/jeff-koons-art/). *My Modern Met*. 2020-09-13. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230224081425/https://mymodernmet.com/jeff-koons-art/) 2023-02-24 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-02-24.

1. ["Balloon Dog (Blue) - Jeff Koons | The Broad"](https://www.thebroad.org/art/jeff-koons/balloon-dog-blue). *www.thebroad.org*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211101083817/https://www.thebroad.org/art/jeff-koons/balloon-dog-blue) 2021-11-01 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2022-09-19.

1. Stanska, Zuzanna (2021-11-07). ["Jeff Koons and His Balloon Dogs"](https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/jeff-koons-balloon-dog/). *DailyArt Magazine*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220612091656/https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/jeff-koons-balloon-dog/) 2022-06-12 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2022-09-19.

1. Wertheimer, Tiffany (19 February 2023). ["Jeff Koons: Visitor breaks iconic Balloon Dog sculpture in Miami"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64695059). *BBC News*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230219120438/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64695059) 19 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 19 February 2023.

1. ["Finally, You Can Purchase The "Yellow Dog With Cone" Statue In GTA Online"](https://kotaku.com/finally-you-can-purchase-the-yellow-dog-with-cone-st-1836891193). *Kotaku*. 2019-08-03. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230220034540/https://kotaku.com/finally-you-can-purchase-the-yellow-dog-with-cone-st-1836891193) 2023-02-20 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-02-20.

1. ["Across the Koons-verse: artist's balloon animals make cameo in new Spider-Man film"](https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/06/09/spider-man-across-spider-verse-koons-guggenheim). *The Art Newspaper*. 2023-06-09. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230708173352/https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/06/09/spider-man-across-spider-verse-koons-guggenheim) 2023-07-08 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-07-08.

1. Butkovic, Leanne (2023-06-07). ["Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Has Some Things to Say About Art"](https://www.ign.com/articles/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-has-some-things-to-say-about-art). *IGN*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230619111236/https://www.ign.com/articles/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-has-some-things-to-say-about-art) 2023-06-19 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-07-08.

1. ["@JeffKoons"](https://twitter.com/JeffKoons/status/1667184788393041920). *Twitter*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230708173352/https://twitter.com/JeffKoons/status/1667184788393041920) 2023-07-08 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-07-08.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Balloon Dog](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balloon_Dog) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balloon_Dog?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.