More than rockets will launch in Houston this summer as the Red Bull Art of Can exhibit opens July 12-25, showcasing a wide variety of art made from recycled materials. The public exhibit curated by Wade Wilson of Wade Wilson ART will be housed at the Houston Galleria. The 47-piece collection includes a life-size bull kicking a china cabinet, a Houston Texan football helmet, a kinetic pinball machine and an aluminum portrait of Barack Obama. Visit the site to see where the exhibit will be traveling and to see images from the show.

This is a newsvine exclusive series by artist Dennis P. McCann. Phase one includes:

Phase One. Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, Rove, Ashcroft, Ridge, Chertoff, Wolfowitz, Coulter, O’Reilly.

The NEOCON series is currently on display at the Middle Eastern Technical University (METU) Library Gallery, beginning June 9th. A reception will be held on the opening day at 6:30 PM, with the artist in attendance. The public is invited.

The Exhibit runs through June 29, 2008. Admission is free.

Jeff Koons is an influential contemporary artist who sold a piece titled Hanging Heart at Sotheby’s auction house for $23.6 million. This was the most expensive piece by a living artist ever auctioned until recently. It was bought by the Gagosian Gallery which also purchased another Koons sculpture entitled “Diamond (Blue)” for $11.8 million from Christie’s auction house on Tuesday, November 13, 2007. [wikipedia]

The works in the new Chicago exhibit include a 10 foot high gigantic balloon-animal dog painted metallic orange, a 1988 sculpture titled “Michael Jackson and Bubbles” and portraits of an ex-porn star.

“Many works in the retrospective show — featuring about 60 paintings and sculptures spanning Koons’ career from 1979 through 2007 — incorporate everyday articles, such as Hoover vacuums in glass cases, basketballs suspended in water tanks and children’s blowup swimming toys hanging from fences and chains.”

Koons has gained immense popularity as well as much criticism.

“The core of my work is to have transcendence in life. You have to first be able to accept yourself,” Koons said. “Then you can take a journey which leads you to the acceptance of others.”

Koons was a pioneer in his field in the 1980s as well as a successful commercial artist. He recently designed limited edition T-shirts for the Gap.

At the same time, Koons has developed an intense commercial appeal. He recently designed limited edition T-shirts for Gap.

Koons is not a stranger to Chicago. According to AP:

“The exhibit has been a homecoming for the artist, who spent one year at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and opened his first major show at the Museum of Contemporary Art nearly 20 years ago. Koons also got his start in Chicago, working under Ed Paschke, who used to take him to bars and tattoo parlors to look for ideas.”

Koons is a very valuable artist and according to museum officials, many of his works were uninsurable. He meticulously planned the entire Chicago exhibit and spent many hours making sure it was perfect.

This sounds like a great show that runs through Sept. 21st. If you are in the Chicago area make sure to stop in and see it.

A quick update. I noticed a google ad on the site for Jeff Koons igoogle themes. Google ads sure can be neat sometimes.