Jeff Koons - shameless appropriator - is now putting in the boot from the other foot. Seems JK feels that he now owns all things balloon dog and we assume all that implies: chasing down street clowns, harassing kids at birthday parties and rounding up balloon dog lookalikes from gift stores. It was a BD gift that got him crossing swords with Jamie Alexander who runs Park Life, a store here in SF. Koons's lawyer instructed Alexander to pull his balloon dog bookends from the shelves and Alexander complied reluctantly grousing, "This man can't own something that existed before him." And this is a strange battle for Koons to pick, back in 1992 he was successfully sued for copyright infringement by the photographer who took that shot that was the basis of Koons's work String of Puppies. If you believe in freedom for balloon dogs, clap your hands.
To get some idea of the wide range of BD-like products available for Jeff Koons to unleash his lawyers on, check out dustyburrito.
Other OTN Koons tales:
Koons body butter
Flogging flowersThe best Koons lookalike ever
Koons at the movies
Koons and camo
All the pretty colours
Koons crane and train
Image: Balloon dog bookend (left hand side)
