Though many in France said Koons’ sculpture “donation” – more on that in a minute – was “opportunistic and cynical,” the artist said “he hoped his tulips would become part of the local landscape and that Parisians would interact with them.” After the terrorist attacks of November 2015, the artist announced that he would give Paris a sculpture that echoed Picasso’s Bouquet of Peace. But “Koons only donated the concept for Bouquet of Tulips. The production — costing 3.5 million euros, or about $3.8 million at current exchange rates — was raised by French and American donors.” – The New York Times