Jeff Koons Jets Off to Greece to Ride Billionaire Dakis Joannou’s “Guilty” Yacht

Photo: Andrea Ferrari.
Dakis Joannou and Jeff Koons. Photo: Art Observed.

Dakis Joannou and Jeff Koons.
Photo: Courtesy Art Observed.

It’s good to be Jeff Koons these days.

The New York Times’s T magazine has a profile of the artist that outlines his summer plans. And unsurprisingly, they’re a pretty far cry from how most of us have been spending the recently sweltering July days.

After a stint in Bilbao, Spain, where he attended the opening of his retrospective at the Guggenheim, he headed to the family farm in Pennsylvania for some much-needed rest and relaxation.

Later this month, he told T magazine that he’ll be jetting off to Corfu, Greece to hang out on the yacht he designed for Greek billionaire and art collector Dakis Joannou in 2013.

Photo: Andrea Ferrari.

“Guilty” as charged.
Photo: Courtesy Andrea Ferrari.

What exactly does this 115-foot luxury seacraft look like, you ask? In a 2013 Forbes article that begins with the polite observation, “there have always been charges of excess in the art world,” the ship is described as a Lichtenstein-esque creation comprised of bold geometric designs.

It was reportedly inspired by Razzle Dazzle, the British naval camouflage from World War I that was intended to confuse the viewer. If you’re looking at it from a bird’s eye view, there’s a massive picture of Iggy Pop, who Koons regards as a “contemporary Dionysus figure.”

“We did what we wanted; style was irrelevant,” Joannou told Forbes. “We designed a boat in an antistyle method. We have no rules, no programs, no plans.”

The yacht, one of several owned by Joannou, goes by the name of “Guilty,” and once had to be wrapped in paper to guard against a swarm of paparazzi in Italy. Word is Joannou doesn’t use it too often. Except, of course, when he’s hitting the high seas with its visionary designer.

As art dealers and gallerists in Greece struggle to stay afloat, it appears Joannou is doing just fine.

Photo: Forbes.

“Guilty” at night.
Photo: Courtesy Forbes.

Dakis Joannou's yacht. Photo: Courtesy Nowness.com.

Dakis Joannou’s yacht.
Photo: Courtesy Nowness.com.

"Guilty" interior shot. Photo: www.whudat.de.

“Guilty” interior shot.
Photo: Courtesy www.whudat.de.

"Guilty." Photo: www.hypebeast.com.

“Guilty.”
Photo: Courtesy www.hypebeast.com.


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