Feral Things
Junior Member
Posts • 1,848
Likes • 3,654
January 2012
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I just don’t get it at all , by Feral Things on Oct 23, 2016 14:10:12 GMT 1, [...] would really love to hear concrete examples of why they love KA WS specifically - what all of this work is trying to say? [...] As South Bound has mentioned above, the basis of Kaws' work lies in Pop Art; questioning what is fine art, what is mass media culture and whether there's actually a difference between the two. Kaws' toys ask the question 'what is product and what is art?' and to a certain extent he is just applying a 21st century aesthetic to what Klaus Oldenberg did several generations earlier. But this was just Kaws' jumping off point because what his work is really about is communication.
Globalisation has made the cartoons of Peanuts and The Simpsons universally known and understood in a way which just doesn't apply to other areas of society like politics or science. They cut across not just economic and racial divides but they are also known all around the world and to this extent they are like a global language. Kaws' work is saying that these cartoons and facets of popular culture which are often dismissed as inconsequential or disposable are actually the things which bind us together in the world and act as the real form of communication which can break down barriers between people because they are globally understood. As CREAM mentioned, even when the image is highly-abstracted you can still readily identify elements of Sponge Bob in pieces like 'You Should Know I Know’.
It is this slightly cold, academic meaning to his work which probably appeals to the museums and institutions that show his work. However, I suspect that many of the collectors of his toys are also drawn to the far more basic and human qualities of his sculptures, namely the relatability of the shy, dejected or introverted figures covering their faces or comforting one another. I think a certain amount of his popularity also just comes down to the same basic consumerism which fuels brands like Supreme.
In the same way that Warhol previously worked in advertising and later did commercial work for Absolut, Kaws was a background animation painter for a Disney-subsidiary and has done work for the likes of Marc Jacobs. So unlike the Subvertising billboards of the 1990s, the Ad Disruption work from the same period (sorry, I don't know who to credit for the photo below) shouldn't be read as a criticism of corporations, but instead it embraces consumerism and this is a thread that has run through his whole career.
[...] would really love to hear concrete examples of why they love KA WS specifically - what all of this work is trying to say? [...] As South Bound has mentioned abo ve, the basis of Ka ws' work lies in Pop Art; questioning what is fine art, what is mass media culture and whether there's actually a difference between the two. Ka ws' toys ask the question ' what is product and what is art?' and to a certain extent he is just applying a 21st century aesthetic to what Klaus Oldenberg did several generations earlier. But this was just Kaw s' jumping off point because what his work is really about is communication. Globalisation has made the cartoons of Peanuts and The Simpsons universally known and understood in a way which just doesn't apply to other areas of society like politics or science. They cut across not just economic and racial divides but they are also known all around the world and to this extent they are like a global language. Kaw s' work is saying that these cartoons and facets of popular culture which are often dismissed as inconsequential or disposable are actually the things which bind us together in the world and act as the real form of communication which can break down barriers between people because they are globally understood. As CREAM mentioned, even when the image is highly-abstracted you can still readily identify elements of Sponge Bob in pieces like ' You Should Know I Know’. It is this slightly cold, academic meaning to his work which probably appeals to the museums and institutions that show his work. However, I suspect that many of the collectors of his toys are also drawn to the far more basic and human qualities of his sculptures, namely the relatability of the shy, dejected or introverted figures covering their faces or comforting one another. I think a certain amount of his popularity also just comes down to the same basic consumerism which fuels brands like Supreme. In the same way that Wa rhol previously worked in advertising and later did commercial work for Absolut, Ka ws was a background animation painter for a Disney-subsidiary and has done work for the likes of Marc Jacobs. So unlike the Subvertising billboards of the 1990s, the Ad Disruption work from the same period (sorry, I don't know who to credit for the photo below) shouldn't be read as a criticism of corporations, but instead it embraces consumerism and this is a thread that has run through his whole career.
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nobokov
Junior Member
Posts • 4,882
Likes • 6,798
February 2016
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I just don’t get it at all , by nobokov on Oct 23, 2016 15:46:20 GMT 1, [...] would really love to hear concrete examples of why they love KA WS specifically - what all of this work is trying to say? [...] As South Bound has mentioned abo ve, the basis of Ka ws' work lies in Pop Art; questioning what is fine art, what is mass media culture and whether there's actually a difference between the two. Ka ws' toys ask the question ' what is product and what is art?' and to a certain extent he is just applying a 21st century aesthetic to what Klaus Oldenberg did several generations earlier. But this was just Kaw s' jumping off point because what his work is really about is communication. Globalisation has made the cartoons of Peanuts and The Simpsons universally known and understood in a way which just doesn't apply to other areas of society like politics or science. They cut across not just economic and racial divides but they are also known all around the world and to this extent they are like a global language. Kaw s' work is saying that these cartoons and facets of popular culture which are often dismissed as inconsequential or disposable are actually the things which bind us together in the world and act as the real form of communication which can break down barriers between people because they are globally understood. As CREAM mentioned, even when the image is highly-abstracted you can still readily identify elements of Sponge Bob in pieces like ' You Should Know I Know’. It is this slightly cold, academic meaning to his work which probably appeals to the museums and institutions that show his work. However, I suspect that many of the collectors of his toys are also drawn to the far more basic and human qualities of his sculptures, namely the relatability of the shy, dejected or introverted figures covering their faces or comforting one another. I think a certain amount of his popularity also just comes down to the same basic consumerism which fuels brands like Supreme. In the same way that Wa rhol previously worked in advertising and later did commercial work for Absolut, Ka ws was a background animation painter for a Disney-subsidiary and has done work for the likes of Marc Jacobs. So unlike the Subvertising billboards of the 1990s, the Ad Disruption work from the same period (sorry, I don't know who to credit for the photo below) shouldn't be read as a criticism of corporations, but instead it embraces consumerism and this is a thread that has run through his whole career. Thanks for the in depth explanation Feral! It was a great read and me thinks that everyones input is starting to make me a believer - not quite at 'fan' level, but it's starting to make more sense.
[...] would really love to hear concrete examples of why they love KA WS specifically - what all of this work is trying to say? [...] As South Bound has mentioned abo ve, the basis of Ka ws' work lies in Pop Art; questioning what is fine art, what is mass media culture and whether there's actually a difference between the two. Ka ws' toys ask the question ' what is product and what is art?' and to a certain extent he is just applying a 21st century aesthetic to what Klaus Oldenberg did several generations earlier. But this was just Kaw s' jumping off point because what his work is really about is communication. Globalisation has made the cartoons of Peanuts and The Simpsons universally known and understood in a way which just doesn't apply to other areas of society like politics or science. They cut across not just economic and racial divides but they are also known all around the world and to this extent they are like a global language. Kaw s' work is saying that these cartoons and facets of popular culture which are often dismissed as inconsequential or disposable are actually the things which bind us together in the world and act as the real form of communication which can break down barriers between people because they are globally understood. As CREAM mentioned, even when the image is highly-abstracted you can still readily identify elements of Sponge Bob in pieces like ' You Should Know I Know’. It is this slightly cold, academic meaning to his work which probably appeals to the museums and institutions that show his work. However, I suspect that many of the collectors of his toys are also drawn to the far more basic and human qualities of his sculptures, namely the relatability of the shy, dejected or introverted figures covering their faces or comforting one another. I think a certain amount of his popularity also just comes down to the same basic consumerism which fuels brands like Supreme. In the same way that Wa rhol previously worked in advertising and later did commercial work for Absolut, Ka ws was a background animation painter for a Disney-subsidiary and has done work for the likes of Marc Jacobs. So unlike the Subvertising billboards of the 1990s, the Ad Disruption work from the same period (sorry, I don't know who to credit for the photo below) shouldn't be read as a criticism of corporations, but instead it embraces consumerism and this is a thread that has run through his whole career. Thanks for the in depth explanation Feral! It was a great read and me thinks that everyones input is starting to make me a believer - not quite at 'fan' level, but it's starting to make more sense.
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Dibbs 45
Junior Member
Posts • 3,902
Likes • 4,851
October 2012
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I just don’t get it at all , by Dibbs 45 on Oct 23, 2016 15:47:30 GMT 1, I always go by the adage that to define is to limit. Subjectivity In art lends itself to the concept that art cannot restricted in its scope. Unfortunately it's a double edged sword meaning it's exploitable and accessible at the same time. I was speaking to someone who did ones of Kaws first shows in London. He was saying Kaws now had now just latched on to Koons. I prefer our idea of art not being too restricted as it progresses it. Whether in a good way remains to be seen.
I always go by the adage that to define is to limit. Subjectivity In art lends itself to the concept that art cannot restricted in its scope. Unfortunately it's a double edged sword meaning it's exploitable and accessible at the same time. I was speaking to someone who did ones of Kaws first shows in London. He was saying Kaws now had now just latched on to Koons. I prefer our idea of art not being too restricted as it progresses it. Whether in a good way remains to be seen.
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longshanks
Junior Member
Posts • 1,077
Likes • 1,106
October 2012
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I just don’t get it at all , by longshanks on Oct 28, 2016 21:39:22 GMT 1, This vid just popped up on my Facebook feed..... 90s kaws action. I've not been following his work so found it an interesting look into his origins. Love the way he incorporated the tags into the billboards
This vid just popped up on my Facebook feed..... 90s kaws action. I've not been following his work so found it an interesting look into his origins. Love the way he incorporated the tags into the billboards
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sl
New Member
Posts • 460
Likes • 241
September 2016
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I just don’t get it at all , by sl on Oct 28, 2016 22:36:31 GMT 1, This vid just popped up on my Facebook feed..... 90s kaws action. I've not been following his work so found it an interesting look into his origins. Love the way he incorporated the tags into the billboards This was very cool to watch. What a great bit of nostalgia. How much do we all wish ( most of us anyway) that we had some of those original ads and tag ups. Fantastic
This vid just popped up on my Facebook feed..... 90s kaws action. I've not been following his work so found it an interesting look into his origins. Love the way he incorporated the tags into the billboards This was very cool to watch. What a great bit of nostalgia. How much do we all wish ( most of us anyway) that we had some of those original ads and tag ups. Fantastic
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