by Mat Dirjish
American artist Jeffrey Lynn Koons, noted for creating sculptures depicting everyday objects, including balloon animals, and Swiss luxury watchmaker Hublot are collaborating with the goal of seamlessly melding watchmaking art with contemporary art. The end result is three watches featuring the Classic Fusion Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons. The three timepieces include mirror-polished stainless steel, and red or blue anodized aluminum finishes.
In art speak, The Classic Fusion Balloon Dog draws inspiration from Koons’s mirrored balloon sculptures. Reportedly, it integrates the emotional language of inflatables into the art of making timepieces, a.k.a., horology. The collaboration will yield just 200 pieces per watch.
Koons explains, “Translating Balloon Dog into the language of the Classic Fusion required far more than fusing an artwork with an existing watch. The challenge was to fundamentally reinterpret the architecture of the Classic Fusion through the visual and sculptural language of inflatable forms. The re-engineered Classic Fusion creates the illusion of volume and tension.”
Julien Tornare, Hublot CEO, adds, “Working with Jeff Koons on this project was both an artistic and technical adventure. What appears effortless and playful is, in reality, an extraordinary exercise in engineering, craftsmanship and detail. We challenged every construction principle of the Classic Fusion to create the illusion of inflation and volume while preserving the integrity of fine watchmaking. Every component was reimagined, reshaped and refined; milled on 5-axis CNC for a distinctive puffed form, then meticulously finished by hand to perfection. This project perfectly expresses Hublot’s philosophy: using the full mastery of horology in the service of emotion, aesthetics and innovation.”
Limited to 200 pieces per finish, the Classic Fusion Balloon Dog is available at select Hublot points of sale. It will also appear in select galleries For deeper details, visit the Classic Fusion Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons overview.
