Author James Jebbia, Contributions by KAWS, Introduction by Glenn O'Brien and Aaron Bondaroff

The first monograph on the iconic independent New York street fashion label Supreme.

In April 1994, Supreme opened its doors on Lafayette Street in downtown Manhattan and became the home of New York City skate culture. Challenging the dominance of the established Wes Coast skater scene and the new conservatism of 1990s New York, Supreme defined the aesthetic of an era of rebellious cool that reached from skaters to fashionistas and hip-hop heads.

Over the last sixteen years, the brand has stayed true to its roots while collaborating with some of the most groundbreaking artists and designers of its generation, and with stores in Los Angeles and Japan has become an international icon of independent counter-cultural style.

This definitive monograph - with written contributions from contrasting arbiters of style, Aaron Bondaroff and Glenn O'Brien, and including an interview between founder James Jebbia and the artist KAWS - brings together the disparate elements of the brand's output, from legendary advertising campaigns to especially commissioned skateboard designs, photographs, and artworks, and a comprehensive index of their products to date.

Including collaborations with Jeff Koons, Richard Prince, Damien Hirst, Public Enemy, Lou Reed, and Futura 2000 among many others, this richly illustrated book is a survey of sixteen years of contemporary street fashion and culture reflected in the pioneering work of one of New York's most influential independent labels.

About the Authors:

Aaron Bondaroff began his career working at the Supreme store, and has since created his own fashion and lifestyle brands, Off Bowery and aNYthing. He lives in New York.

Glenn O'Brien is a renowned journalist who has been both music critic and editor of Interview magazine, and writes a monthly style column for GQ magazine. He lives in New York.

KAWS is a New York-based artist who has blurred the boundaries between street art, design and high art in his collaborations with Supreme, Original Fake, and Comme des Garcons, and in his exhibitions at galleries worldwide.

This catalogue, edited by Germano Celant, documents the first exhibition in the Middle East by KAWS (Brian Donnelly, born 1974, USA). The solo show explores his career and vast oeuvre and features painting and sculpture made over the past 20 years.
KAWS’ imagery has long possessed a sophisticated, dark humour, revealing the interplay between art and consumerism, referencing both art history and pop culture. Donnelly began his career in street art in the 1990s, becoming synonymous with the name KAWS, a tag that became a staple in his ‘sub-vertisments’ (modifications of commercial works). Later on, through his toy figurines and larger-than-life sculptures, KAWS has become a global phenomenon — not just of the art world, but in popular culture as well.

KAWS: HE EATS ALONE is presented at the Fire Station in Doha. The exhibition begins in the Garage Gallery where over 40 sculptures and paintings are displayed in a labyrinthine space designed by the New York studio 2×4. Across the courtyard above the café, the Archive showcases a collection of the artist’s limited edition works. At the centre of the courtyard, the 5-metre-tall sculpture COMPANION (PASSING THROUGH) is seated with hands covering its eyes. The journey concludes at the Dhow Harbour on the Corniche, where the larger-than-life inflatable sculpture HOLIDAY reclines against the backdrop of the Doha city skyline.

A comprehensive monograph on the work of KAWS, one of the most sought-after artists and creative forces of our time

Drawing from Pop art traditions, KAWS's work straddles the line between fine art and popular culture, crossing the mediums of painting and sculpture, along with fashion, merchandise, vinyl toys, and, most recently, augmented reality. This book, made in close collaboration with the artist, features his most well-known works alongside sketches, preparatory drawings, and never-before-seen images of KAWS at work, revealing the meticulous process behind his iconic artworks. Accompanying a major retrospective exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, it captures the artist's unique ability to reshape the ways we think about contemporary art and culture today.

About the Authors:

Daniel Birnbaum is an art critic, curator, and director of Acute Art, a virtual and augmented reality production company.

Eugenie Tsai is John and Barbara Vogelstein Senior Curator, Contemporary Art at the Brooklyn Museum.

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- Captures the magic of exciting talent at the intersection of traditional and current culture whose highly recognizable - and recognized - work is accessible and provocative, entertaining and challenging
- KAWS has a significant social media presence, with over 3 million followers on Instagram alone – 'There may be no other visual artist with as large a fan base.' – Observer
- KAWS has collaborated with brands such as Supreme, Nike, Dior, Uniqlo, and Comme des Garçons – making his name familiar to a wide and diverse audience
- Accompanies a major exhibition opening at the Brooklyn Museum, his city of residence, in February 2021 - and includes photographs from the show itself

The definitive study of the work of KAWS, one of the most influential and much-loved forces in contemporary art and culture

KAWS is one of the most popular and recognizable contemporary artists, whose reach extends far beyond the art world into the realms of fashion, music, and popular culture at large. Beginning his career as a graffiti artist in the 1990s, KAWS has expanded his repertoire into painting, sculpture, drawing, product design, and augmented reality, together forming an artistic vision that unites all of these practices. KAWS has collaborated with some of the most prominent international brands, including Uniqlo, Comme des Garçons, Supreme, Nike, Dior, sacai, General Mills, and many more, and the book includes images of the artist’s studio by Jason Schmidt and a selection of KAWS’s previously unpublished preparatory drawings as well as work spanning his entire career, from his early graffiti days to his highly collectible vinyl toys, complex abstract paintings, and monumental public sculptures. Richly illustrated and featuring the most significant scholarship on his work to date, this book is a definitive study on the life and career of this extraordinary artist.

About the Authors:

Dan Nadel is a writer and curator based in Brooklyn.

Thomas Crow is Rosalie Solow Professor of Modern Art at New York University.

Clare Lilley is Director of Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Jason Schmidt is a photographer based in New York.

A vibrant look at the celebrated artist and designer KAWS.

Multidisciplinary artist KAWS was first known for his work as a graffiti artist and his subersive approach to poular imagery on bus shelter and phone booth advertisements.  This is the first comprehensive survey of the artist's body of work.

About the Authors:

Multidisciplinary artist KAWS was first known for his work as a graffiti artist and his subversive approach to popular imagery on bus shelter and phone booth advertisements. This is the first comprehensive survey of the artist’s body of work.
Mónica Ramírez-Montagut is a curator at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum.
Germano Celant is an art historian and director of Fondazione Prada in Milan.

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Пролистать книгу KAWS

A lavishly illustrated tour of the methods, process and sources behind the iconic pop artworks of KAWS

American artist KAWS is one of the most famous living contemporary artists today. Renowned for his iconic visual language and larger-than-life sculptures, the artist draws on beloved pop culture icons to create a new and recognizable cast of characters of his own. The broad appeal of KAWS’ style has made his artwork accessible to collectors, museum visitors and the general public alike, and has led to collaborations with coveted global brands and immense commercial success.

KAWS: FAMILY, organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, marks the artist’s Canadian institutional exhibition debut with an array of his drawings, paintings, sculptures and selected products. The catalog features over 60 works from the past two decades, including installation photography; essays by Julian Cox, AGO Deputy Director and Chief Curator, and Mark Kingwell, FRSC, Professor of Philosophy, University of Toronto in Toronto, Canada; and an interview with KAWS by Jim Shedden, AGO Curator of Special Projects and Director of Publishing. Together, this material provides new insights into KAWS’ influences and creative process as well as the impact his work has made across the spheres of fine art, pop culture, product design and fashion.

A graffiti artist since adolescence, Brian Donnelly (born 1974), known professionally by his moniker KAWS, received his BFA in illustration from New York’s School of Visual Arts in 1996. He has collaborated with brands such as Supreme, Nike and Comme des Garcons, and his work can be found in the collections of the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, the Brooklyn Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. KAWS lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.

A comprehensive monograph on the work of KAWS, one of the most sought-after artists and creative forces of our time

Drawing from Pop art traditions, KAWS's work straddles the line between fine art and popular culture, crossing the mediums of painting and sculpture, along with fashion, merchandise, vinyl toys, and, most recently, augmented reality. This book, made in close collaboration with the artist, features his most well-known works alongside sketches, preparatory drawings, and never-before-seen images of KAWS at work, revealing the meticulous process behind his iconic artworks. Accompanying a major retrospective exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, it captures the artist's unique ability to reshape the ways we think about contemporary art and culture today.

About the Authors:

Daniel Birnbaum is an art critic, curator, and director of Acute Art, a virtual and augmented reality production company.

Eugenie Tsai is John and Barbara Vogelstein Senior Curator, Contemporary Art at the Brooklyn Museum.

_________

- Captures the magic of exciting talent at the intersection of traditional and current culture whose highly recognizable - and recognized - work is accessible and provocative, entertaining and challenging
- KAWS has a significant social media presence, with over 3 million followers on Instagram alone – 'There may be no other visual artist with as large a fan base.' – Observer
- KAWS has collaborated with brands such as Supreme, Nike, Dior, Uniqlo, and Comme des Garçons – making his name familiar to a wide and diverse audience
- Accompanies a major exhibition opening at the Brooklyn Museum, his city of residence, in February 2021 - and includes photographs from the show itself

A comprehensive monograph on the work of KAWS, one of the most sought-after artists and creative forces of our time

Drawing from Pop art traditions, KAWS's work straddles the line between fine art and popular culture, crossing the mediums of painting and sculpture, along with fashion, merchandise, vinyl toys, and, most recently, augmented reality. This book, made in close collaboration with the artist, features his most well-known works alongside sketches, preparatory drawings, and never-before-seen images of KAWS at work, revealing the meticulous process behind his iconic artworks. Accompanying a major retrospective exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, it captures the artist's unique ability to reshape the ways we think about contemporary art and culture today.

About the Authors:

Daniel Birnbaum is an art critic, curator, and director of Acute Art, a virtual and augmented reality production company.

Eugenie Tsai is John and Barbara Vogelstein Senior Curator, Contemporary Art at the Brooklyn Museum.

_________

- Captures the magic of exciting talent at the intersection of traditional and current culture whose highly recognizable - and recognized - work is accessible and provocative, entertaining and challenging
- KAWS has a significant social media presence, with over 3 million followers on Instagram alone – 'There may be no other visual artist with as large a fan base.' – Observer
- KAWS has collaborated with brands such as Supreme, Nike, Dior, Uniqlo, and Comme des Garçons – making his name familiar to a wide and diverse audience
- Accompanies a major exhibition opening at the Brooklyn Museum, his city of residence, in February 2021 - and includes photographs from the show itself

A comprehensive monograph on the work of KAWS, one of the most sought-after artists and creative forces of our timee

Drawing from Pop art traditions, KAWS's work straddles the line between fine art and popular culture, crossing the mediums of painting and sculpture, along with fashion, merchandise, vinyl toys, and, most recently, augmented reality. This book, made in close collaboration with the artist, features his most well-known works alongside sketches, preparatory drawings, and never-before-seen images of KAWS at work, revealing the meticulous process behind his iconic artworks. Accompanying a major retrospective exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, it captures the artist's unique ability to reshape the ways we think about contemporary art and culture today.

About the Authors:

Daniel Birnbaum is an art critic, curator, and director of Acute Art, a virtual and augmented reality production company.

Eugenie Tsai is John and Barbara Vogelstein Senior Curator, Contemporary Art at the Brooklyn Museum.

_________

- Captures the magic of exciting talent at the intersection of traditional and current culture whose highly recognizable - and recognized - work is accessible and provocative, entertaining and challenging
- KAWS has a significant social media presence, with over 3 million followers on Instagram alone – 'There may be no other visual artist with as large a fan base.' – Observer
- KAWS has collaborated with brands such as Supreme, Nike, Dior, Uniqlo, and Comme des Garçons – making his name familiar to a wide and diverse audience
- Accompanies a major exhibition opening at the Brooklyn Museum, his city of residence, in February 2021 - and includes photographs from the show itself

A comprehensive monograph on the work of KAWS, one of the most sought-after artists and creative forces of our time

Drawing from Pop art traditions, KAWS's work straddles the line between fine art and popular culture, crossing the mediums of painting and sculpture, along with fashion, merchandise, vinyl toys, and, most recently, augmented reality. This book, made in close collaboration with the artist, features his most well-known works alongside sketches, preparatory drawings, and never-before-seen images of KAWS at work, revealing the meticulous process behind his iconic artworks. Accompanying a major retrospective exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, it captures the artist's unique ability to reshape the ways we think about contemporary art and culture today.

About the Authors:

Daniel Birnbaum is an art critic, curator, and director of Acute Art, a virtual and augmented reality production company.

Eugenie Tsai is John and Barbara Vogelstein Senior Curator, Contemporary Art at the Brooklyn Museum.

_________

- Captures the magic of exciting talent at the intersection of traditional and current culture whose highly recognizable - and recognized - work is accessible and provocative, entertaining and challenging
- KAWS has a significant social media presence, with over 3 million followers on Instagram alone – 'There may be no other visual artist with as large a fan base.' – Observer
- KAWS has collaborated with brands such as Supreme, Nike, Dior, Uniqlo, and Comme des Garçons – making his name familiar to a wide and diverse audience
- Accompanies a major exhibition opening at the Brooklyn Museum, his city of residence, in February 2021 - and includes photographs from the show itself

A comprehensive monograph on the work of KAWS, one of the most sought-after artists and creative forces of our time

Drawing from Pop art traditions, KAWS's work straddles the line between fine art and popular culture, crossing the mediums of painting and sculpture, along with fashion, merchandise, vinyl toys, and, most recently, augmented reality. This book, made in close collaboration with the artist, features his most well-known works alongside sketches, preparatory drawings, and never-before-seen images of KAWS at work, revealing the meticulous process behind his iconic artworks. Accompanying a major retrospective exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, it captures the artist's unique ability to reshape the ways we think about contemporary art and culture today.

About the Authors:

Daniel Birnbaum is an art critic, curator, and director of Acute Art, a virtual and augmented reality production company.

Eugenie Tsai is John and Barbara Vogelstein Senior Curator, Contemporary Art at the Brooklyn Museum.

_________

- Captures the magic of exciting talent at the intersection of traditional and current culture whose highly recognizable - and recognized - work is accessible and provocative, entertaining and challenging
- KAWS has a significant social media presence, with over 3 million followers on Instagram alone – 'There may be no other visual artist with as large a fan base.' – Observer
- KAWS has collaborated with brands such as Supreme, Nike, Dior, Uniqlo, and Comme des Garçons – making his name familiar to a wide and diverse audience
- Accompanies a major exhibition opening at the Brooklyn Museum, his city of residence, in February 2021 - and includes photographs from the show itself

A major survey of KAWS and his eye-popping work, from collectible art toys to UNIQLO T-shirts, from graffiti to museum exhibitions

Appropriating characters, images and effects from pop culture, the work of KAWS blurs the lines between high and low art, and between art and fashion.

Effectively deploying film and television favourites for his toys, large-scale sculpture and bold, nearly abstract painting, KAWS recasts the familiar colours and forms of popular entertainment in cheeky and often poignantly human terms. Influenced by Andy Warhol and other Pop artists, hard-edge abstract painting and graffiti, KAWS’ work deftly straddles consumer culture and artistic innovation, and his distinctive style is as much at home in his toys as in his monumental sculpture. KAWS: Where the End Starts explores the artist’s prolific career in depth, featuring key paintings, sculptures, drawings, toys and fashion and advertising designs.

This extensive monograph, including contributions from Andrea Karnes, Michael Auping, Dieter Buchhart and Pharrell Williams, reveals critical aspects of KAWS’ formal and conceptual development over the past 20 years, as his career has shifted from graffiti to fine art and collaborations with designers and brands such as Comme des Garçons, SUPREME, Nigo (A Bathing Ape) and Nike.

Published in a hardcover edition with more than 150 color reproductions by the Museum of Modern Art, Fort Worth in conjunction with the major 2016 Fall exhibition on KAWS.

About the Authors:

Brooklyn-based KAWS (born in 1974) is widely considered one of the most relevant artists of his generation. Within the Pop art tradition, he has created a prolific body of influential work, which both engages young people with contemporary art and straddles the worlds of art and design to include both product and graphic design, paintings, murals and sculpture.

Marla Price is Director of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

Michael Auping is Chief Curator at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas, and the author of books on abstract expressionism, Clyfford Still, and Arshile Gorky.