As if KAWS' presence isn't already heavily felt in New York at the present moment (ahem, simultaneous exhibitions at Mary Boone Gallery and Galerie Perrotin), his face is now rendered in plastic on the cover of PAPER magazine's November 2013 "Art Issue." The cover story traces his success from Brian Donnelly's early graffiti days to last year's Companion balloon at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and this year's design of the MTV VMAs in Brooklyn.
The cover story has some brilliant quotes, including discussion of how KAWS purposefully made the now ubiquitous Companion character a relatable one. He says, "I always wondered why figures never had these kinds of expressive gestures, they were always proud super heroes standing tall or in other stiff poses. I wanted to create an emotional connection that could reflect our times and how I feel."
Later, he adds, "I remember the way Keith Haring's art made me feel comfortable walking into a gallery or a museum. I just want to make stuff that no one is ever too stupid to get."
Read the rest of the piece on PAPER.
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[via PAPER]
