brilliant ideas episode #29: kaws · something about kaws is different from other brilliant ideas...
TRANSCRIPT
Brilliant�Ideas�Episode�#29:�KAWSBack�and�forth�between�commerciality�and�purity
Many�find�contemporary�art�difficult�to�understand;�the�works�of�KAWS�seem
fairly�familiar.�His�works�feature�animation�characters�we�loved�as�children
such�as�Mickey�Mouse,�Snoopy,�and�the�Simpsons�characters.�One�thing�is�in
common�in�all�these�characters�in�KAWS’�works:�the�characters�have�X�marks
Supposedly�owing�to�familiarity�and�wittiness�of�his�works,�in�which
contemporary�art�and�commerce�are�brought�together,�his�works�have�been
taken�from�white�cubes�in�art�museums�and�galleries�to�stores�in�the
common�streets.�What�would�be�the�secret�to�his�success?�Brilliant�Ideas
Familiar�animation,�unfamiliar�eyes
on�where�their�eyes�should�be,�and�are�covering�their�faces�as�if�they�are�shy.
The�X-shaped�eyes�have�become�the�artist’s�signature�and�nicknamed�as�“X-
ed”�out�eyes,�branding�the�artworks�as�KAWS’.
Episode�#29,�presented�by�Bloomberg�and�Hyundai�Motor,�invites�you�to�find
the�answer�from�the�world�of�imagination�shown�by�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,
Characters�adding�a�new�page�to�pure�art
marking�the�very�first�post�where�the�artist�achieved�in�earnest�the�harmony
between�commerce,�animation,�and�pictorial�art.
KAWS’�toy-like�style�based�on�animation�images�is�one�of�the�features�that
set�him�apart�from�other�artists;�however�active�collaboration�is�definitely
another�factor.�Of�course,�many�artists�have�a�commercial�side�seen�from
them�working�with�corporations;�very�few�of�them�would�be�desired�by
companies�as�many�as�those�seeking�after�KAWS.�
Established�in�2006,�“Original�Fake”�was�a�corporation�operated�by�KAWS
with�Japanese�toy�company�Medicom�Toy.�Considering�operation�of�the
company�as�one�of�his�projects,�KAWS�collaborated�with�various�fashion
companies�such�as�BAPE,�Supreme,�Burton,�Fragment�Design,�and�Comme
des�Garçon,�winning�hearts�of�many�fashion�lovers.�In�May�31,�2013,�KAWS
announced�to�end�the�7-year�operation�of�Original�Fake�through�his�social
network�page.�He�only�sent�gratitude�to�fans�and�companies�with�which
Original�Fake�had�collaborated,�without�any�official�reason�for�closing�the
company.�Such�abrupt�shutdown�brought�concerns�that�he�might�not�do�any
more�collaboration�work;�he�continued�to�work�with�many�fashion�companies
while�participating�in�beverage�and�cosmetic�package�design�projects,
proving�that�he�was�still�keeping�up�his�artistic�activities.
Collaboration,�bridge�between�commerce�and�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
<Untitled�(MBFV3)>�2016Acrylic�on�canvas�/�Acrylique�sur�toile�66×108�inches�/�167.6×275.1cm�Courtesy�of�the�Artist�&�Galerie�Perrotin
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.
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