Jeff Koons joins a growing list of artists and art world personalities who are endorsing Hillary Clinton in the upcoming American presidential election.
Speaking to the German art magazine Monopol, the artist argued that the Democratic candidate will do more to support the visual arts in America than Republican nominee Donald Trump. He revealed that he has supported Clinton since meeting her at the White House 20 years ago. The two have had a number of interactions since then; for instance, in 2012, Clinton presented him with the Medal of Arts.
According to Koons, the vast majority of Americans view Hollywood cinema and the entertainment industry as their primary cultural representation. “The visual arts are often neglected,” he explained.
“Hillary Clinton has always supported the arts,” Koons said, adding that she “closely follows the developments in the art world.”
Medal of arts winners Cai Guo-Qiang, Jeff Koons, Shahzia Sikander, Kiki Smith, and Carrie Mae Weems with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Courtesy Tony Powell and US Department of State.
More broadly speaking, the artist added that “the election reflects the sad state in which the USA currently finds itself. I’ve supported Hillary Clinton for a long time. She is very well informed and is a brilliant personality,” he said.
“Aside from that,” Koons continued, “Donald Trump just isn’t the suitable person for the presidency.”
As Secretary of State, in 2013, Clinton wrote about the transformative power of art in diplomacy in Vanity Fair. “Art is also a tool of diplomacy. It reaches beyond governments, past the conference rooms and presidential palaces, to help us connect with more people in more places. It is a universal language in our search for common ground, an expression of our shared humanity.” Koons was one of the artists that Clinton presented with the Medal of the Arts for his outstanding commitment to international cultural exchange and the Art in Embassies program.
In September, Koons donated one of his works to an auction benefiting Clinton’s campaign, hosted by art dealer Larry Gagosian.