Originating from France, Editions Studio has become a renowned name in the art world. Our dedication to providing superior quality artwork has earned us tremendous popularity among art lovers and connoisseurs.

Our most renowned series, Balloon Dog and Balloon Rabbit (after), have been shown in some of the most prestigious galleries and auction houses around the world, from Europe to North America, South America, Asia and beyond. Welcome to the exciting world of Editions Studio Art! We are passionate about creating breathtaking yet affordable works of art, available exclusively in limited editions. Our inspiration comes from some of the world's most iconic artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Balloon Dog: How an old clown trick became popular art
Jeff Koons was born in York, Pennsylvania in 1955. Koons' resume is long and impressive. One of his accomplishments is achieving two record prices at auction for a work by a living artist (one of which is Balloon Dog (Orange), which fetched $58.4 million in 2013). Later, in 2019, his Rabbit sculpture raised an even more astonishing $91.1 million.
While initially studying art in Baltimore, Jeff Koons embarked on a successful career in finance, working as a Wall Street broker in the years leading up to his full-time devotion to art. His artistic talent quickly gained recognition and his first solo exhibition took place in 1980. Since then, Koons has enjoyed numerous major exhibitions at such prestigious institutions as the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. In addition to his artistic endeavors, Koons is a dedicated philanthropist. He serves on the board of the International Center for Missing & Exploited Children and generously donates more than $4 million in support of their initiatives, including the Koons Family Institute.

The origins of Balloon Dog
Jeff Koons' iconic Balloon Dog belongs to his celebrated 1994 Celebration series, which includes 20 gleaming metal sculptures and about 15 captivating oil paintings. In addition to the five metal dogs, Koons crafted Easter eggs, Valentine hearts and diamonds, all adorned with his signature reflective stainless steel finish. Through Koons' masterful vision and meticulous process, these ordinary objects transcend their mundane simplicity and become sumptuous symbols of joy, lightheartedness and the innocence of childhood.
Celebration honored his son's hoped-for return to the U.S. from Italy after a custody battle. The subject choice for the series reflects themes of innocence, playfulness, hope and the American dream in the spirit of his son's potential homecoming. Inflatable and pop culture-inspired artworks were already present in Koons' oeuvre (Michael Jackson and Bubbles famously depict the then-living American pop singer with his monkey Bubbles).

The Balloon Dogs in particular stand out as the most recognizable and celebrated creations from Jeff Koons' extensive body of work, including his famous Celebration series. Capturing the essence of childhood joy and celebration, these sculptures resemble the inflated balloon dogs often found at carnivals and birthday parties. Their flawless stainless steel surface, free of any imperfections, exudes an aura of elegance and craftsmanship. The viewer's reflection, distorted yet clearly visible in the polished surface, adds an element of self-referentiality and engagement, fostering a sense of connection to the artwork.
There are a total of five original Balloon Dogs, measuring 307.3 x 363.2 x 114.3 cm and weighing as much as one ton. Constructed of metal and then covered with their respective colors (magenta, blue, orange, yellow, red), each artwork is pristine yet playful. As stated on Koons ' website, the dates of the Balloon Dog are 1994-2000, the medium being "mirror-polished stainless steel with transparent color coating.

A conceptual look at the artwork
Regarding his choice of balloon animals as the subject for Balloon Dog, Koons said,'I've always enjoyed balloon animals because they are just like us ... We are balloons. You take a deep breath and you breathe in, it's an optimism. You breathe out, and it's a kind of symbol of death.' You can certainly sense this lightheartedness through his Balloon Dog, which evokes the joy and vibrancy of childhood.

In a bold way, Jeff Koons has consistently asserted that his work is not intended to convey a specific or predetermined meaning. Instead, he emphasizes the role of the viewer in shaping the interpretation of the artwork. This idea is reinforced by his preference for reflective materials, which actively engage the viewer and create a personal viewing experience. In a fascinating way, Koons elevates the simple balloon dog, a fleeting and cheap object, into a permanent and immensely valuable work of art, giving it a new level of meaning and permanence.
Like some of the greatest artists, Koons' has provoked heated reactions. One critic, Amy Dempsey, said his Balloon Dog is "a great presence ... a tremendously enduring monument." Many see it as part of the conversation about consumerism and popular culture, in the tradition of artists like Andy Warhol, one of Koons' greatest artistic inspirations.

In a remarkable case, Jeff Koons claimed copyright infringement against a San Francisco bookstore that produced bookends with balloon dogs. Koons, however, recognized the inherent public domain of a dog-shaped balloon and decided to withdraw the lawsuit. Today, several publishers produce these balloon dog-shaped sculptures, in collaboration with Editions Studio Art.