Brilliant Ideas Episode #29: KAWS

Artist KAWS gained fame by choosing animation characters as the subject matter of his works. Among many things, why would such characters have caught his eyes? The artist’s interest in “pop” elements dates back to his high school days. In Jersey City in the 1980s to 1990s, where he spent his early years, graffiti was the craze: From the trains and walls to the billboards of the city, every flat surface that could be sprayed on was dominated by graffiti. Naturally exposed to such environment, KAWS grew familiar with graffiti. After graduating from New York City’s School of Visual Arts, he gained an opportunity to work at Disney as a freelance animator. Thanks to his pictorial skills he honed in college, the artist participated in animated film works such as <101 Dalmatians> and <Daria>. He accumulated knowledge on animation, which soon became the primary interest.
Starting as a full-fledged street artist while working as a freelancer animator, KAWS subverted images at the bus stations, public phone booths, and billboards in New York and recreated them in his own style. Being rather shocking and startling to people at that time, his works became popular more than expected, presenting good reputation and fame to the artist.
Leaving all this attention behind, however, KAWS suddenly made a decision to go to Japan, solely for his own artistic development. The artist had been deeply absorbed in making artworks with Japanese icons of subculture. In 1999, KAWS launched his first line of toys through collaboration with Bounty Hunter, Japanese toys and apparel brand. Gaining sensational popularity in Japanese toy communities, his toys became major targets of collectors, marking the very first post where the artist achieved in earnest the harmony between commerce, animation, and pictorial art.

KAWS’ collaboration works vary greatly without any limits. The artist redesigned the iconic trophy Moonman for the ‘2013 MTV Video Music Awards’ and also did cover artworks for famous magazines such as 『The New Yorker』. Recently KAWS conducted a large-scaled collaboration work with a Japanese apparel company and immediately became the center of attention in the fashion community, proving that he had not lost popularity 3 years after closing Original Fake. What is certain is that public’s love for him shows no sign of cooling down. It might be for these reasons that KAWS has a nickname of “an artist whose works are between commerce and pure art.” ■ with ARTINPOST

Something about KAWS is different from other Brilliant Ideas artists; his work looks like fine art, and at the same time it seems like a “toy” or a “cartoon”. Most of KAWS works start from characters of modern Pop culture. KAWS gets inspiration from characters of popular culture, and turn their eyes into ‘X’s which has become his signature. Through the ‘X’ eyes and aspects of popular culture, he not only explores within the boundaries of fine art but also works in collaboration with various corporations.
Born in 1974, New Jersey, KAWS now lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. His name is Brian Donnelly, and he graduated from the School of Visual Arts, New York. In 1990s, he exposed his own identity through graffiti. Then he operated “Original Fake” which brought public success to his work. Now, KAWS has declared an end to running “Original Fake”, and the artist is on the verge of a new leap forward.