London’s Vauxhall marks the meeting place for two sometimes divisive, always expensive but especially famous, contemporary figures in art. Jeff Koons: Now is the latest exhibition to show at Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery and the pairing couldn’t be more natural – for Damien Hirst first saw Koons’ work as a young art student and was instantly inspired by his bold and unusual style. And we too were immediately enthralled with the American artist’s gargantuan and vibrant style. This important exhibition consists of what Hirst has collected of Koons’ work, with many pieces having never been shown to the UK public before.

Our eyes were drawn, magpie-style, to the shiny, blue Balloon Monkey (Blue) which fills an entire room. Although it looks like a plastic balloon, it’s constructed from stainless steel – the intricate and delicate twists of the monkey-shape are dazzlingly crafted. Other sculptures convincingly resemble inflatable plastic pool toys yet have been cast in aluminium: we loved Sling Hook, a shark and lobster, locked in an embrace, suspended from the ceiling by a long, metal chain. And Play-Doh, despite its satisfyingly soft appearance, is actually a giant mound of painted polychromed aluminium, creating a playful contrast to the beautiful, new, white gallery space. Aside from the gargantuan, we also saw paintings, photographs and a series of small streetcars that have been cast in shining metal with each perfectly preserving precisely 75cl of whiskey in their interior.

For a post-exhibition lunch, we recommend perching upon one of the pill-shaped bar stools in Pharmacy 2, the gallery’s very own pharmacy-themed restaurant (a throwback to one of Hirst’s most famous installations). A bright and bizarre restaurant for an equally bright and bizarre show.

Jeff Koons: Now is on at Newport Street Gallery from 18 May – 16 Oct 2016. Find out more information at the Newport Street Gallery website.

Text by Hannah Solel