Brooklyn-based, KAWS is a world-renowned artist who exhibits in museums and galleries internationally. KAWS’s art stands within the historical continuum that began with Pop Art, straddling the line between fine art and global commerce. From his 16-foot tall sculpture COMPANION (PASSING THROUGH) to his recent 32-foot tall wooden sculpture SMALL LIE, his artworks are immediately recognizable as he transforms iconic pop culture characters into thought-provoking works of art. His work possesses a sophisticated humor while utilizing a refined graphic language that revitalizes figuration with big, bold gestures and keen, playful intricacy. By producing fine art via thoughtful interplay with consumer products and collaborations with global brands, KAWS moves beyond the sphere of the exclusive art market to occupy a more complex, global market.
KAWS was born in Jersey City, New Jersey and received his BFA from the School of Visual Arts. KAWS has held solo exhibitions at venues including Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia; Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas; Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, Connecticut; Honor Fraser Gallery, Los Angeles, California; Galerie Perrotin, Paris, New York, and Hong Kong; and Mary Boone Gallery, New York. His most recent exhibition has been “UPS AND DOWNS” at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Overland Park, Kansas. And this year he will present a project for CAC Malaga.
