"I have always used cleanliness and a form of order to maintain for the viewer a belief in the essence of the eternal, so that the viewer does not feel threatened economically...I have always placed order in my work not out of a respect for minimalism, but to give the viewer a sense of economic security" The Jeff Koons Handbook, 1992.

The basketballs and soccer balls of the Encased series are preserved in an absolute state of virginal intactness. Their own pristine packaging is given another layer of protection in glass display cases. The repetition of packaged balls and their presentation as aesthetic objects recall Warhol's soup cans and Brillo boxes. But, as in all his work, Koons seems primarily concerned with the meaning of his commodities even above their aesthetic appeal.

Like his many works depicting toys, the balls refer to childhood and adolescence. The manner of their preservation and display implies that this innocent, playful world is lost or denied to us. As emblems of sporting heroism these have particular command over our emotions and imagination. Of course basketballs carry a whole set of other references to a fully adult world, of a highly racialised professional sport. They signify the mega-industry of sporting goods, of sponsorship and endorsements - our means to buy into the dream.

So, while Encased has its obvious origins in the Duchampian readymade, the appropriation here is far more complex than that of an everyday household object. The balls and their packaging already belong to a world of design, of knowing appeal. As well as serving a function they are charged with an attraction to us, the audience or consumer, through the familiar language of advertising or packaging and their special associations. They are further evidence of Koons' deep engagement with commodification, advertising, and consumerism.

This is Jeff Koons' first show in London since his retrospective at the Anthony d'Offay Gallery in 1992. He has been exhibited most recently at Jerome de Noirmont in Paris and is preparing an exhibition including his much-anticipated Celebration series for the Guggenheim Museum.