Here’s a mind puzzle for you. In 2003 Jeff
Koons cast a set of inflatable monkeys in aluminium and painted them to look
just like the originals (Monkeys (Chair) from the Popeye series). The three
monkeys hung from the ceiling with the bottom of the three holding onto a chair
that swung free of the floor. To look at the works you'd swear they were
inflated plastic, to touch them (while the guard wasn’t looking) was to know
they were metal.
The other day in a gift store in Wellington we were surprised to
see the same 'sculpture' displayed in the window only this time it was
really made of inflated plastic monkeys, the same ones Koons used. If you
want to make your own Monkeys (chair) go here (chair not included).
Images: Top left, available inflatable
monkeys, right, Koons Monkeys (chair) and bottom, the Wellington version
