His giant blowing works have appeared on Seokchon Lake in Seoul, South Korea, and in the Thanksgiving Day parade at Macy's in New York, USA; His characters were printed on Uniqlo T-shirts and sold for over HK$100 million at auction... Here are 10 things you need to know about KAWS, the artist who has taken the world by storm and is now in full swing.
1
KAWS IS NOT HIS REAL NAME
Born in 1974, KAWS's real name is Brian Donnelly. A graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York, he worked as a background artist for animations such as Disney's 101 Dalmations and popular cartoons Daria and Doug before becoming famous. As a young man, Donnelly painted "KAWS" on buildings in New Jersey and Manhattan, and he chose the word "KAWS" purely because he liked the way the letters were lined up.
KAWS (b. 1974) Untitled (Astro Boy), hand-painted resin, 47 x 32 x 11.2 cm., estimate: $150,000 - $200,000. The lot is being available at Christie's New York "Trespassing" online auction from now until 19 August
2
He was a graffiti artist
However, Donnelly soon abandoned this simple graffiti and instead began adding cartoonish characters to bus stop advertisements to develop a unique style. He later copied these early creative advertising works in a series of silkscreen prints, including one that teased Calvin Klein: he painted a green figure embracing the ad's supermodel Christy Turlington.
KAWS (b. 1974) Ad Disruption (Prima/Paris), Acrylic poster, 173.5 x 120.1 cm., estimate: $100,000 - $150,000. The lot is being available at Christie's New York "Trespassing" online auction from now until 19 August
Donnelly's graffiti background has led to a wide audience for his work, many of whom are even irrelevant to the art world. UNLIKE MOST ARTISTS, KAWS DID NOT START HIS ARTISTIC CAREER IN GALLERIES; He understands the benefits of displaying his work on the street and understands that mass production attracts supporters. As his supporters grew, collectors and art critics began to take notice. Reflecting on his early graffiti creations, Donnelly said: "When I was doodling, I only had one thought in my mind, 'I just want to exist', and I wanted to exist in the world through this visual language... If I can't reach the public, there's no point in painting. ”
3
Fame with toys
At the invitation of the famous toy and streetwear brand Bounty Hunter, KAWS visited Japan in 1999 and created its first toy "COMPANION".
KAWS (b. 1974) COMPANION (KARIMOKU EDITION), wooden limited edition, 27 x 13 x 6 cm., 2011, estimate: $30,000 - 50,000. The lot is being available at Christie's New York "Trespassing" online auction from now until 19 August
The limited edition of 500 COMPANION toys sold out almost immediately, and this image has become a frequent character in KAWS productions.
4
It's like a day
In March 2019, the 121-foot (307.34 cm.) inflatable COMPANION was exhibited at Art Basel in Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. Titled KAWS: HOLIDAY, the 40-ton anchor anchored to the sea and previously debuted in Seoul and Taipei before being shown in Hong Kong is KAWS's most famous new work in recent years.
KAWS (b. 1974) "Holiday", Seokchon-ho, Seoul, South Korea, 2018. Image courtesy of KAWS and AllRights Reserved Ltd
KAWS was already very successful in the 2000s, and according to the 2019 Artnet Art Market Forecast Report, the average price of its works almost doubled, from $42,272 to $82,063. In November 2018, KAWS sold five works for more than $1 million, and its works sold for the full year totaling more than $33 million.
5
Super popularity on social networking sites
One of the keys to KAWS's rise to fame in the modern art scene was his popularity on social media. At the time of writing, there were more than 1.3 million Instagram posts with the hashtag #kaws, far more than Jeff Koons' 387,000 and Damien Hirst's 226,000. Experts estimate that one of the reasons may be that the online platform's ability to faithfully present KAWS's work in a distinctive pop art style is also related to his background as a street artist.
KAWS (b. 1974) CHUM (pink), painted bronze sculpture, 52 (H) x 33 x 15.2 cm., 2009. On 10 July 2020, Christie's Hong Kong Modern and Contemporary Art Evening Sale sold for HK$3,000,000. Artwork: © KAWS
6
On a par with Basquia and Harlem
Described by curator and art historian Michael Auping as "Clement Greenberg's worst nightmare," KAWS is regarded as a stunning talent in New York's art scene, with many comparing him to Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, two famous artists who started in street art, and KAWS to Andy Haring. Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons are on a par with both artists who understand the possibilities that art can produce in the age of mechanical production.
KAWS (b. 1974) Ups and Downs, complete set of ten color silkscreen prints, each 89 x 58 cm., estimate: $60,000 - $80,000. The lot is being available at Christie's New York "Trespassing" online auction from now until 19 August
KAWS has mentioned people who inspired him, including Claes Oldenburg, Tom Wesselman, and Takashi Murakami, and he said that Murakami's "acceptance and crossover projects" had a particularly deep influence on him.
7
Known for recreating classic characters
Christie's expert Noah Davis points out: "No cartoon can escape the fate of being transformed by KAWS. KAWS is known for subverting classic cartoon characters to demonstrate his keen interest in its universal cultural values and emphasize that there is no distinction between "high" and "inferior" art in his world.
KAWS (b. 1974) The Simpsons, acrylic on canvas, divided into six parts. Dimensions of each part: 30.5 x 30.5 x 3.8 cm., 2005. Sold at Christie's New York on 27 September 2018 for $516,500. Artwork: © KAWS
8
Designed an inflatable piece for Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
IN 2012, KAWS'S COMPANION BALLOON FLOATED THROUGH THE STREETS OF MANHATTAN ON A MESY'S THANKSGIVING PARADE IN NEW YORK: A PAIR OF BIG GLOVED HANDS COVERING XX-SHAPED EYES. COMPANION appeared with cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse and Super Mouse, further proving that KAWS can transform art into wonderful works loved by the public.
9
Cross-border works
After successfully launching the fashion brand Original Fake in the early 2000s, KAWS began working with several popular streetwear brands such as Bathing Ape and Supreme. In 2008, he designed the cover for singer Kanye West's album 808s & Heartbreak and recently designed his own Nike Air Jordan sneakers.
KAWS (b. 1974) "Plush BFF x Dior" (black, pink), polyester plush Dior jeans and suit, two pieces. Each piece: 45.7(H) x 25 x 10 cm., made in 2019. On 11 July 2020, Christie's Hong Kong Modern and Contemporary Art Day Sale sold for HK$250,000. Artwork: © KAWS
At Paris Fashion Week 2019, Dior designer Kim Jones unveiled the Spring/Summer 2019 collection, which included KAWS's interpretation of the Dior classic bee motif, accompanied by a 33-foot-tall KAWS classic character "BFF" made of pink flowers, which was later reduced to a limited edition toy wearing a mini Dior suit.
KAWS also collaborated with the Campana brothers to produce a series of puppet-covered ji that was launched at Art Basel Miami and acquired by Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner.
10
His works sell for anywhere from a dozen dollars to millions of dollars
KAWS partnered with NIGO, who co-founded Bathing Ape and now serves as creative director of Uniqlo's lifestyle sub-line UT, and the current collection includes T-shirts, sweatshirts, hooded sweatshirts and toys, all reimagining the role of the children's show Sesame Street. The collections are priced under $50 and are advertised under the slogan "You're never too old for the street."
KAWS (b. 1974) "CHUM (KCB7)", acrylic canvas drawing board, 213.3 x 172.7 cm., 2012. Sold at Christie's New York on 15 November 2018 for $2,412,500. Artwork: © KAWS
In stark contrast, Christie's also sold KAWS's 2012 painting CHUM (KCB7) for $2,412,500 at the Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New York in November 2018, almost five times the pre-sale overestimate.
10 things to know about KAWS
The artist is taking the art world by storm — his giant inflatables have graced a lake in Seoul and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, his characters feature on T-shirts, and his paintings sell for eight-figure sums at auction
1KAWS is not his real name
Brian Donnelly (b. 1974) studied illustration at the School of Visual Arts in New York. Before he achieved success as an artist he worked as a background painter on animated series such as Disney’s 101 Dalmations, and cult shows Daria and Doug.
2KAWS started out as a graffiti artist
From an early age Donnelly was known for marking buildings in New Jersey and Manhattan with ‘KAWS’, a tag he chose because he liked the way the letters looked together. He soon moved on from this simple tag, however, and developed a unique style that involved adding cartoon-like figures to bus-shelter advertisements.
Later, he would replicate these early works of ‘subvertising’ in a series of screenprint lithographs. These included a mock Calvin Klein ad, featuring supermodel Christy Turlington being embraced by a green figure.
His origins in graffiti brought his work to a diverse audience, many of whom had nothing to do with the art world. Unlike most artists, KAWS did not start out with a gallery; he was fully aware of the benefits of showing his work in the street and mass-producing pieces in order to build a following. This following became so big that it attracted the attention of collectors and critics.
Speaking of his early days as a graffiti artist, Donnelly said, ‘When I was doing graffiti, my whole thought was, “I just want to exist.” I want to exist with this visual language in the world… It meant nothing to me to make paintings if I wasn’t reaching people.’
3KAWS made his name with toys
In 1999 KAWS visited Japan after being approached by Bounty Hunter, the cult toy and streetwear brand. He would go on to create his first toy, ‘COMPANION’.
Produced in an edition of 500, the toys sold out almost immediately, and COMPANION became a recurring figure in KAWS’s work.
4KAWS is having a moment
In March 2019, a 121-foot-long inflatable version of KAWS’s COMPANION was installed in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour during Art Basel. Anchored by a 40-ton weight, versions of the piece — dubbed KAWS: HOLIDAY — were previously on view in Seoul and Taipei, and mark the latest step in the artist’s rise to fame over recent years.
Although KAWS was successful in the 2000s, the 2019 Artnet Intelligence Report reports that in 2017 his average sale price almost doubled, from $42,272 to $82,063. In November 2018, five KAWS pieces sold for more than $1 million, and across the year his work realised over $33.8 million at auction.
5He’s big on Instagram
KAWS’s success on social media has been a big factor in his surge to the forefront of the contemporary art world. At the time of writing, more than 900,000 posts bearing the hashtag #kaws had been posted on Instagram, compared to 300,000 for Jeff Koons and 192,000 for Damien Hirst. Specialists have speculated that this could partly be down to the fact that his bright, Pop-art style reproduces faithfully online, but this popularity can also be attributed to KAWS’s origins as a street artist.
6KAWS and the comparisons to Basquiat and Haring
Described by curator and art historian Michael Auping as ‘[Clement] Greenberg’s worst nightmare’, KAWS is seen as the enfant terrible of the New York art world. Many have compared him to Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, whose own inimitable styles started out on the street, as well as Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons, who both had an instinctive understanding of the possibilities of art in the age of mechanical reproduction.
KAWS has name-checked his influences, which vary from Claes Oldenburg and Tom Wesselman to Takashi Murakami, the latter in terms of what the artist describes as ‘acceptance and crossover projects’.
7He’s known for appropriating beloved characters
No cartoon is safe from being consumed and turned into KAWS: the artist is known for subverting iconic cartoon heroes and in doing so he demonstrates his interest in the characters’ universal cultural value, reinforcing the idea that he makes no distinction between concepts of ‘high’ and ‘low’ art.
8He once designed a float for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
In 2012 a KAWS COMPANION balloon was seen floating down the streets of Manhattan as part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, its XX eyes covered by large gloved hands. Its appearance alongside characters as Mickey Mouse and Sonic the Hedgehog provided further proof of KAWS’s ability to transform art into a spectacle for mass consumption.
9KAWS and collaboration
After successfully launching his own fashion label, Original Fake, in the early 2000s, KAWS began working with a number of cult streetwear labels, including Bathing Ape and Supreme.
In 2019, Paris Fashion Week saw Dior designer Kim Jones debut his Spring/Summer 2019 collection with a KAWS interpretation of the fashion house’s iconic bee design, set against the backdrop of a 33-ft tall pink flower sculpture of KAWS’s ‘BFF’ character, reproduced as an editioned toy in a mini Dior suit.
KAWS has also collaborated with the Campana brothers on a range of furniture covered in plush toys, which debuted at Art Basel Miami and was immediately snapped up by Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner.
10KAWS’s work sells for as little as $15 and as much as $3.8 million
Recently, KAWS teamed up with NIGO, originally of Bathing Ape fame and creative director of Uniqlo's LifeWear UT line. His collection with the Japanese brand saw him redrawing beloved Sesame Street characters on a collection of T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and toys. All priced under $50, the pieces featured the tagline, ‘You’re never too old for the street’.
In contrast, in a monumental triptych IN THE WOODS (2002) sold for $3,855,000 in 2019 at Christie’s in New York — more than double its high estimate.
Winchin Gallery privately negotiates with the original works of top international artists (if the client has the needs of other specific artists, we will use overseas art resources to find it for you):
Pablo Picasso, Andy. Warhol, Vincent. Van Gogh Vincent Gogh, Henry. Matisse Henri Matisse, Frida Kahlo F.KAHLO, Gerhard Richter G. Richter, Wilhelm Adolf Bouguereau W A Bouguereau, Marc Chagall M. Chagall, Claude Monet C.Monet, Rembrandt Hallmansson van Rein, Guercino Guercino, Mattia Preti, U. Boccioni, Lucio Fontana L.Fontana, Francis Bacon F. Bacon, Jean-Michel. J. M. Basquiat, Rafael Sansi Raffaello, A. Canaletto, Paul Veronese, Pierre. August. Renoir P.A. Renoir, Paul. Cézanne P. Cezanne, Rennie Magritte R. Magritte, El Salvador. Dalí S. Dali, Amedeo. Modigliani A. Modigliani, Hieronymus Bosch H. Bosch, Francisco. Goya F.Goya, Peter. Paul. Rubens P.P. Rubens, Tintoretto Tintoretto, François Boucher F. Boucher, Antoine Van Dyck, Francisco de Subbaran F. Zurbaran, Yayoi Kusama, Kaws, Yoshitomo Nara, Zao Wou-Ki and others