“Art should be something really powerful,” says Jeff Koons, “but at the same time, there’s morality that comes along with that.” The segment begins in the artist’s busy studio in Manhattan, where his computer-aided but hand-made paintings and sculptures develop slowly, with a large team of dedicated assistants, in the manner of a Renaissance workshop or atelier.

The segment shifts to a major retrospective at the MCA Chicago, where Koons provides a detailed analysis of two sculptures that exemplify the ethical and spiritual dimensions of art. The segment concludes outside Paris at the Chateau de Versailles, where Koons is the first contemporary American artist to have a solo exhibition, showcasing the mathematical planting of a giant flower topiary and a survey of works installed amidst the joyous decoration of the palace’s period rooms and gardens.