Hans Haacke

The Business Behind Art Knows the Art of the Koch Brothers . 2014

+ The Paula Cooper Gallery

The Business Behind Art Knows the Art of the Koch Brothers relates to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s two new fountains, which occupy the museum plaza since September 2014. The title of the work quotes a leaflet published by the Metropolitan Museum stating, “The Business Behind Art Knows the Art of Good Business.” In Haacke’s photographic triptych, a facsimile of the leaflet is printed on a banner hanging between a pair of columns of the museum’s facade. Oversized $100 bills cascade from photos of the two fountains, emblazoned David H. Koch Plaza in gold. Koch, a billionaire industrialist, together with his brother Charles, is a major backer of an archconservative political agenda. Through their funding, the Koch brothers are expected to have a significant impact on the midterm elections in November.
The Paula Cooper Gallery

Gift Horse, Model for Fourth Plinth, Trafalgar Square, London . 2013

Checking . 2014