An Italian production tells the world of Jeff Koons

Premiered at the Rome Film Festival last week, the film by Neapolitan director and screenwriter Pappi Corsicato, Jeff Koons - Un Ritratto Privato explores the life of the American artist and his indelible impact on contemporary culture. An Italian production screened in cinemas only on 23, 24 and 25 October, the documentary brings together testimonies and recollections of well-known personalities in the art world, recounting Koons' life in an intimate way, from his works to his personal relationships, offering the viewer a new vision of the visionary's contemporary art.

A pop artist, repeatedly the subject of criticism and controversy (he has been accused of plagiarism in the past) for his unusual approach to art and culture, Koons is one of the promoters of kitsch and Pop Art, a movement that focuses on consumerism and the flaws of contemporary society. His name is associated with other art greats of that era, such as Andy Warhol, Marcel Duchamp and Keith Haring, as like them he was able to intertwine irony and art in a unique way, between provocation and comedy. Jeff Koons' works are world-famous for their sympathetic appearance, such as Balloon Dog and Rabbit, yet behind the interior design flair of these lies a philosophical message in close contact with the reality that surrounds them. The themes of Koons' works, which over the years have ranged from sculpture, painting and photography to media such as marble, plastic and porcelain, can be summarised in the artist's interest in society in relation to the American dream, class divisions and pop art. His work aimed to unite 'high' and 'low' culture by creating installations and exhibitions that could make any viewer feel involved and at ease. The focal point of the documentary Jeff Koons - Un Ritratto Privato, the motives and insights behind Koons' works and successful career are explored from different perspectives, reaching back to the artist's childhood.

The docu-film explores the most influential relationships and moments in Koons' life: his relationship with his father, an interior decorator and extreme perfectionist, his arrival in New York and his love life. Koons himself takes part in Corsicato's work in an exclusive interview that uncovers hidden aspects of the artist, including his failures, while also delving into the work that led him to create works such as Inflatables, Banality and Made in Heaven, part of a colossal cultural legacy that continues to inspire artists around the world.