Works
Biography
The Promise, 2022
KAWS, born Brian Donnelly in 1974 in New Jersey, is an American artist and designer known for his distinctive style that blends street art, pop culture, and fine art.
He began his career as a graffiti artist in the 1990s, tagging billboards, bus shelters, and phone booths in New York City with his now-iconic "XX" signature. Over time, KAWS transitioned into creating limited-edition vinyl toys, paintings, and large-scale sculptures that reimagine familiar cartoon characters with a melancholic twist. His work often features characters like "Companion," a Mickey Mouse-inspired figure with X-ed out eyes and gloved hands. KAWS has exhibited internationally, collaborating with major brands such as Nike, Uniqlo, Dior, and Comme des Garçons, and his art commands high prices at auction. Straddling the worlds of commercial design and contemporary art, KAWS has become one of the most influential and recognizable figures in 21st-century visual culture.