Kathy Aoki Wins Creative Capital Grant for her Art Project, Koons Ruins Atlas

As one of 49 projects selected nationally to receive the award, Aoki’s project will further critique the art market and expand her artistic practice in unprecedented ways.

Kathy Aoki, the Lee and Seymour Graff Professor of Studio Art and Associate Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, has received a 2025 Creative Capital Grant for her groundbreaking project, Koons Ruins Atlas. The Creative Capital Grant is a highly competitive award that provides financial support and mentorship to artists working on innovative projects.

“Receiving this grant is an incredible honor—it’s a rare opportunity that doesn’t come around often,” Aoki says. “It’s not just about the funding; it’s about having the time and resources to expand my work in ways I couldn’t before. This project has always existed in my mind at a certain scale, but now I have the ability to push it even further, to create immersive environments that bring my vision to life in a way I’ve never been able to do.”

Aoki’s Koons Ruins Atlas was selected from a pool of 5,653 applications through a rigorous, external review process involving 120 industry leaders, programmers, and cultural producers. This prestigious award underscores Aoki’s impact on contemporary art and her ability to challenge the conventions of art history with wit and satire.

A large-scale, immersive project that imagines the destruction of Jeff Koons’ sculptures on an overgrown estate, Koons Ruins Atlas follows the fictional narrative of art collector Dorothea James, whose disdain for Koons’ commercialized aesthetic drives her to acquire and systematically destroy his most iconic pieces. Following her death, the estate is opened to the public as a “Koons Ruins” site, inviting viewers to explore a decayed and overgrown landscape filled with relics of deteriorated Koons sculptures. In addition to a series of scenes that document the estate, Aoki will create a large table-top map activated animation.

The project mixes digital and traditional techniques to create an old-school printmaking vibe. It also serves as a sharp critique of the art market, particularly how Koons’ work exemplifies its excesses. “Jeff Koons art practice focuses on commercialism and marketing goals,” Aoki says. “Some of his early work I appreciated because it did challenge the art canon, but then there came a turning point where he was simply making large, shiny objects and selling them for a lot of money.”

Koons Ruins Atlas ties into Aoki’s long-standing interest in monumental artworks and how societies choose to honor or reject them. “The monuments have always been a theme that ran through my work—about how they show importance or belief from a certain moment, from a certain slice of people,” she explains. “What happens when people don’t want to see that anymore? What happens when monuments basically expire or are disgraced?”

As part of the project, Aoki will be collaborating with students to help bring Koons Ruins Atlas to life. She is working with 3D computer art students to develop digital assets and build elements of the fictional landscape that will be incorporated into the animation project. This partnership not only supports the technical development of the work but also provides students with valuable hands-on experience in digital art and animation.

“This is a moment I really need to take advantage of. It feels like this could be a real turning point in my career as it has been for so many other artists,” Aoki says. “I am excited to start taking advantage of the networks and connections that open up from this grant.”

Beyond the gallery setting, Aoki’s work will be displayed in the public sphere. In May 2025, a new animation from Koons Ruins will be featured as part of the Salesforce Tower Top's Midnight Artist Series in San Francisco. This animation will take viewers on a virtual tour of the fictional estate, further expanding the project’s reach and impact.

As Aoki embarks on this multi-year artistic journey, the Creative Capital Grant will provide essential funding and mentorship to bring her ambitious vision to life. With five years to develop Koons Ruins Atlas, she is eager to push the project to its fullest potential and make the most of the grant’s resources. Beyond the financial support, Aoki recognizes the rare opportunity this grant offers in terms of visibility, networking, and institutional recognition. “It’s not just about making the work—it’s about leveraging this moment to ensure it reaches the right audience, finds the right venues, and has a lasting impact,” she explains. With a growing national and international audience, Aoki is determined to use this opportunity to deepen her critique of the art market and expand her artistic practice in ways that wouldn’t have been possible before.