New Hoover Convertible, New Shelton Wet Doubledecker

Amongst the first series of artworks by Jeff Koons (born in the United States, in 1955), The New is in dialogue with the aesthetics and values of consumerism. Separated from their domestic role as cleaning machines, their “respiratory system” and androgynous forms give the vacuum cleaners human features. 

In this work, the immobility of the objects amplifies their sense of purity, bringing to the foreground the strong association between newness and desirability in contemporary culture. The enclosure of New Hoover Convertible, New Shelton Wet / Dry 10 Gallon Doubledecker in acrylic cases lit by fluorescent lights strips the objects of their intended purpose, whereby desirability becomes dissociated from the possibility of consumption. As a result, the vacuum cleaners’ aesthetic qualities take centre stage, turning them into ethereal displays, unveiling anthropomorphic contours.