After correspondence between Jeff Koons and Jeffrey Epstein’s representatives emerged last month via a newly released set of files, the artist distanced himself from the convicted sex offender.
Among those files is an email from Koons to Epstein’s assistant, confirming his presence at a dinner held at Epstein’s house, as ARTnews previously reported. Other documents in the newly released files show that Epstein sought a visit to Koons’s studio with filmmaker Woody Allen and Neil Gershenfeld, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
These new files appear to confirm rumors of the studio visit that were first reported in 2023 by the Wall Street Journal. When ARTnews reached out to Koons’s representative on Monday afternoon, the artist did not respond.
Then, in an article published by Hyperallergic on Monday evening, Koons issued a statement in which he said that the studio visit did not end up happening. “To the knowledge of myself and my staff, Epstein never visited my studio,” Koons said.
He also addressed the dinner party, telling Hyperallergic: “Upon the invitation of a professor at MIT, Neil Gershenfeld, my wife Justine and I attended a dinner at Jeffrey Epstein’s house. Beyond attending the dinner, I did not have a relationship with Epstein.”
Koons is merely the latest art world figure to appear in Epstein’s files, which include extensive correspondence about Leon Black, whose art collection Epstein appears to have had a hand in managing. (Black has said he did not have any involvement in Epstein’s crimes.) Emails in the newly released files show that Epstein was forwarded correspondence about Black’s art transactions with Gagosian, the gallery that represents Koons.
Collectors Steve Tisch, Leslie Wexner, and Jean Pigozzi also appear in the Epstein files. All have sought to distance themselves from Epstein, denying a role in his crimes.
