The most successful of living artists Jeff Koons has been a focus of creative fascination and significance for more than thirty years, but has always remained guarded about his intellectual life, influences and motivation. The distinguished curator and long-time Koons friend and collaborator Sir Norman Rosenthal has, for the first time, removed that guard. This important book provides the most revealing portrait yet of Jeff Koons's singular personality and artistic vision. Rosenthal's masterful interviews, conducted over four years, give unparalleled access to Koons thoughts, disclosing the artist undistorted and in his own words. As well as examining all his major series in depth, from his first inflatables to his latest series on antiquities, the interviews shed new light on the artists interest in other artists works, reveal the significance of his youth and family life on his art, and explain the key concepts of his practice, such as his ideas on self- acceptance, banality, ecstasy and sex.

Time starts to bend : Art as connection to humanity and history -- Everything is already here : Family, the young artist, gazing ball -- My objects were just displaying themselves : Inflatables, the new and the pre-new -- There's just an acceptance of everything : Equilibrium, luxury and degradation, statuary, Kiepenkerl, banality, made in heaven and celebration -- It's arousal about life : Easyfun, easyfun-ethereal, Popeye and Hulk Elvis to antiquity -- I want to make the grandest gesture that I can : Action and achievement -- Everybody is hungry for something that can change their life : Community, connection, commerce and celebrity -- Vocabulary is a profound subject : A Koons lexicon -- Chronology: The Jeff Koons timeline.