Why do contemporary artists work with mirrors or mirror-like surfaces? When a twentieth-century artist was asked why they were drawn to mirrors they answered: ‘I will die, but the mirror won’t die, it will continue operating without me.’

Dr Sophie Knezic, Lecturer in Critical and Theoretical Studies at the Victorian College of the Arts, in conversation with Dr Simon Maidment, Senior Curator, Contemporary Art, NGV, discusses Jeff Koons’ recent sculpture Venus exploring whether the mirror answers an urge for the infinite or is merely a narcissistic device. Along the way she ponders the question, ‘why is it that we love to hate Jeff Koons?’