Tulips by Jeff Koons at the NordLB in Hannover in 2004. Source : Wikipédia.org

Jeff Koons’ tulip bouquet was inaugurated in Paris on 4 October 2019 at the expense of the French taxpayer! And to the benefit of an American billionaire.

The Paris City Council partly financed the production costs of the monumental tulip bouquet “offered” (well, let’s see) by the American billionaire Jeff KOONS. The other part of these costs, which amounted to 3.5 million euros (yes, it’s expensive for a gift), was covered by companies and by generous and very rich French donors. In return, the donors received a 60% tax reduction. Afterwards, the Paris City Council will have to cover the costs of maintaining the work. In other words, in the end it was the French taxpayers who financed this pseudo gift. In the end, it allowed Mr Jeff Koons to benefit from a considerable audience and visibility free of charge.

Let’s not forget that there are thousands of “invisible” French artists to whom one can reasonably concede at least as much artistic talent as Mr KOONS is supposed to have.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of these artists do not have the slightest recognition from our public authorities, nor do they have the possibility of simply living from their art…

Other articles on this inauguration:

“After the controversy, Jeff Koons’ “Bouquet of Tulips” inaugurated in Paris” on Cnews.fr
“Paris: a Koons-style gift, this “Bouquet of Tulips”?” on telerama.fr