That Jeff Koons twist goes beyond balloon dogs

Jeff Koons, whose appropriations of popular culture since he was working at a toy shop in the 1980s have ranged from postcards to pornography, is said to be claiming copyright on all representations of balloon dogs.

It's funny, of course, at least if we believe those reports – the idea of an artist who so enthusiastically guzzles up images from the world around him asserting unique ownership of one of them. But I wonder if Koons has a point. I can imagine that he gets genuinely annoyed to see his influence in so many toys, souvenirs and even design objects without the least hint of acknowledgement.

Somewhere we have an inflatable red Teddy bear that I bought in the museum shop of the Berlin Guggenheim a few years ago. I certainly bought it for its Koons-like qualities and presumably it was on sale for the same reason: the museum had a stupendous show of his Easyfun-Ethereal paintings at the time. So this fun toy, which as far as I know had no actual Koons pedigree (it was too cheap), made a nice souvenir of a thrilling exhibition. If you too want a "Jeff Koons", you can probably find one at a homeware or souvenir shop near you.

Of course, when Koons started making art out of kitsch in the 80s, there was already plenty of rubbish around for him to recycle. But there is a particular style of object and image today that is self-conscious about kitsch and pop in a way that I believe is genuinely indebted to Koons. I know I use the adjective "Jeff Koons-like" in conversation to describe a lot of modern things. Does he watch Toy Story in a mood of bitter rage?

The truth is that, of all artists at work today, Koons is one of the most influential – and yet his influence is the least acknowledged. He has avoided becoming cool. Critics affect to despise him. And yet there is scarcely a work by a young artist or a hi-tech toy that does not have some debt to Koons concealed within it. Of course you can't patent balloon animals. But if you could claim copyright on the spirit of the age, Jeff Koons and his lawyers would have us all bang to rights.