The Evolution of KAWS' Street Art Aesthetic

The Evolution of KAWS' Street Art Aesthetic | Brilliant Ideas Ep. 29

Рет қаралды 526,778

8 жыл бұрын

June 13 -- KAWS, real name Brian Donnelly, is considered one of the relevant artists of his generation. Born 1974 in New Jersey and now based in Brooklyn, his instantly recognizable aesthetic has attracted a devoted following of fans all over the world. Famously medium agnostic, KAWS' huge body of work straddles the worlds of art and design to include street art, graphic and product design, paintings, murals and large‐scale sculptures. He made his name in the New York graffiti scene in the 1990s where he frequently tagged walls and freight trains with the letters K A W S.
He regularly exhibits in museums and galleries internationally and has found a wide audience through high-profile collaborations with industry leaders including Nike, Uniqlo, MTV, Pharrell Williams and Kanye West.
Watch more Brilliant Ideas: • Brilliant Ideas | Pres...

Пікірлер: 352

@TheTerrorshredder 2 ай бұрын

I feel like artists are so humble. it really shows the humanity in there heart

@michelletorres6881 5 жыл бұрын

I don't think art always has to carry a deep message. You can appreciate art for the style, aesthetic, and design.

@robertf6409 5 жыл бұрын

Have you experienced any art with a deep message?

@Dante-uk8pr 4 жыл бұрын

Its really fake ass critics giving made up meaning to art

@insanedb 2 жыл бұрын

who cares what you think

@Triannosaurus 5 жыл бұрын

Critic: In my opinion the skull and cross bones heads are masks, their hiding the foibles and fallibility that we all have KAWS: I don't really try and impose any certain feeling or reaction. Lmao

@bluenightgrinner8620 5 жыл бұрын

As soon as I hear "critic" ....I laugh my arse off!

@maxmckinnon1164 5 жыл бұрын

Art is subjective though? You're allowed to express how art makes you feel..

@bluenightgrinner8620 5 жыл бұрын

It's the word critic that has a negative aspect to it, that I dont thinks appropriate. Critics are usually those that didn't have the talent or the work ethic or both. Of course everyone can have an opinion and they're entitled to it. I agree. Arts a personal thing.

@iunderyourbed96 5 жыл бұрын

Fuck u stupid hipsters

@robertf6409 5 жыл бұрын

>their

@moCusto 5 жыл бұрын

When a dude just wants to do cool looking graffiti and somehow finds himself in the art scene where wannabe intellectuals try to find some deeper meaning...

@robertf6409 5 жыл бұрын

Name a real intellectual

@moCusto 5 жыл бұрын

@@robertf6409 Noam Chomsky, Slavoj Zizek, Sam Harris, Amartya Sen, Steven Pinker, Yuval Noah Harari, Hannah Arendt and so on and so on ;)

@ppoo2772 4 жыл бұрын

they're not wannabe intellectuals they just articulating what everyone already feels, that just what the language sounds like corny as it is NO ONE in this video is acting like it's exclusive

@marcbaxter5996 4 жыл бұрын

Banksy watching this laughing his ass off...

@micharel937 4 жыл бұрын

Marc Baxter Absolutely

@matthewwamsley1370 4 жыл бұрын

I like how he literally said he isn’t trying to convey any message, and then all these art snobs decide to give it some overblown meaning.

@misjastienen6300 3 жыл бұрын

It's so infuriating, he litteraly said 'I don't like labels like contemporary artist or graffiti artist,...' and not even 5 seconds later the voice over says, 'as a contemporary artist, Kaws,...'

@honeyrococo Жыл бұрын

But the artist is never the person who ultimately decides the meaning of their work. The fact that people -- "experts", collectors, business people, kids, other artists, art historians, professors, designers, youtube commenters, etc. -- have things to say about his (or anyone's) work outside of what [he himself] thinks about it or claims about it is why it can be considered important or art in the first place. It's what's known as "the beholder's share".

@emeralddintreasure2569 7 жыл бұрын

I hate when art critics think they know ecactly what they're talking about cause they've been around gallery's. It's even worst when they praise an artist they try soo hard to make complicated.

@jetlife1028 7 жыл бұрын

Helga Pavlov thick sense of pretention in modern art it's a shame really

@oleskovgaard7529 7 жыл бұрын

Helga Pavlov ææ

@stevenschuster 7 жыл бұрын

True dat!

@SOTEP 6 жыл бұрын

Helga Pavlov I'm so glad you said it that blonde bitch was cringe af

@traplordtheII 6 жыл бұрын

PREACH!!

@ehmmmjay9907 3 жыл бұрын

Back in the 90s when me and my friends would see his tags around NYC, we pronounced his name like K-AWS (chaos), so I still pronounce it like that.

@paintedbysaren 7 жыл бұрын

I mean I like KAWS , I think his art looks cool but for all that deep meaning bs the critics were spitting out, nah.

@kaileyhladkyjohnson3158 7 жыл бұрын

On the other hand, you can tell that his art is well informed, which I think the critics were recognizing.

@tenderonies9251 5 жыл бұрын

It does have deep meaning

@mortomusic8072 5 жыл бұрын

Why would he be in the video and approve his brand to be the topic of content without knowing they would analyze it like this

@nforc3r 5 жыл бұрын

when that lady was talking about his early graffiti and how amazing and top class it was i had to pause and come to the comments to see if i was the only one who found her pretentious. luckily this was the first comment i saw!

@TempleOfTheMartyrs 5 жыл бұрын

people like to put meaning just to look like they know what they are talking about... simple

@menace3507 5 жыл бұрын

That british lady really pissed me off. Philosophical blah blah blah powerful characters, blissful mysticism, flowing colors... then it cuts to Kaws and he's just like "Ya. I liked to draw and then I wanted to make toys."

@robertf6409 5 жыл бұрын

Why do you think it makes you so mad?

@christopheredwards4012 7 жыл бұрын

the woman from yorkshire sculpture park is literally just repeating 'he is very good at painting... the painting... it's good' over and over in different words

@nforc3r 5 жыл бұрын

@runyoursneakers1292 5 жыл бұрын

Guy is extremely talented with symmetry and lining.

@willbernd5213 7 жыл бұрын

I came across his work in the mid 90's in his graffiti period and honestly there were a ton of graffiti artists better than him so its funny to hear that critic talking about how he stood out as one of the best. In graffiti where style is king, out of all of his "kaws" pieces along with the ones shown on here, his letters dont really differ much. I'm not saying he isnt good but it was his skull logo that he just started slapping on everything he could think of that really gained him his popularity. His toys also helped. Haze was another really cool artist that was similar in ways and I thought would have been even better known. I'm really happy to see graffiti and or street artists get a little credit in the upity art world. Its the art people walk by and see eveyday that really has an effect on the world. The best art in the world may sit in museums that a small amount of people actually ever visit, or it might be on the side of a small local business getting seen by hundreds of thousands of people everyday they walk or drive down that street. Which of the two stands a better chance to make people think, influence new artists and bring change to the world? Anyway sorry to rant, from one of the 14 year old future artists in 1997 that came across these great graffiti artists, thank you for paving and showing us a way to actually make a good living doing what we love to do.

@diggindan1498 5 жыл бұрын

Excactly! He's no Dondi ( RIP ) or Seen

@Dante-uk8pr 4 жыл бұрын

Marketing and products. Love Kaws but anything can become mainstream and popular through great business

@anorbert38 3 жыл бұрын

I totally agree with you.

@BiltsOne 4 жыл бұрын

I've seen his career evolve like crazy. Amazing!

@ThatAmbientGuy 13 күн бұрын

I love his style. It’s like Disney cartoons but with a dark vibe to it. Super cool.

@mold3192 7 жыл бұрын

That boi Lev Levarek got that BAPE tho 😳👌🔥

@robertf6409 5 жыл бұрын

A bathing ape? 🐵

@lobofournierpapa5514 3 жыл бұрын

A true legend when it comes to street art.

@TexKimball 7 жыл бұрын

Damn I never knew people were so salty about KAWS. I always really liked his style and his ability to translate his work across lots of mediums.

@drexia01 6 жыл бұрын

Using the same brand motif over and over isn’t ‘translating’ it’s simple repetition. No irony, no critique, simply do the same vacuous moronic stratergy as Mac Donald’s or Coco Cola ad infinity.

@gwendaldeb892 4 жыл бұрын

+ he litteraly copy a lot of other artist's work adding just a little thing. that's pretty shitty in my opinion haha.

@micharel937 4 жыл бұрын

Gwendal Deb Right? People will spend a few thousands on a spongebob punting by him with the unique addition of two crosses on its eyes. Like if you’re someone who’s trying to idk find their style and they’re want to modify something else I guess it’s ok. But he’s been around for quite a few years he could do better.

@gwendaldeb892 4 жыл бұрын

@@micharel937 yeah , i mean it's not original or anything. He just repeat the same thing over and over

@user-ff8ww8bq9q 4 жыл бұрын

I'll speak to my own experience: im a painter and I don't know any other urban artists who are into his work here in Melbourne. When his work had a major tour a few months back, it was mostly young students taking selfies who attended...His work is mediocre and uninspiring.

@RetroExhibitCollective 7 жыл бұрын

I think he just got lucky drawing cartoons. Can't deny that's what his art mostly is

@bluekitsune3008 7 жыл бұрын

its call pop art

@RetroExhibitCollective 7 жыл бұрын

Mario Darth I know that but when bringing it down to a simple base its catroon

@jetlife1028 7 жыл бұрын

Victor dARKO he's certainly talented though

@kaileyhladkyjohnson3158 7 жыл бұрын

Yes, they are cartoons, but it said early on in the film that he had a wide variety of technical skills and eventually decided to focus on these characters.

@elsagrace3893 7 жыл бұрын

Kailey Hladky Johnson I noticed that zero of his early work was shown. We have no evidence that he was accomplished at anything.

@gunscotthdgaming69420 5 жыл бұрын

Uniqlo:So how many x's will be put on our shirts? Kaws: *Yes!*

@MaxamillianStudio 7 жыл бұрын

I've always loved his work. It was great learn more about his beginning.

@1chipchap 4 жыл бұрын

did that guy really just say that we don't get the ecstasy of colour from nature, so we depend on it from art????? nature is full of colour, its intense with colour. landscapes and animal world

@quasar6539 7 жыл бұрын

Beautiful

@alejandrocalle5326 5 жыл бұрын

Great piece. 👍

@jayval4904 7 жыл бұрын

Keith hearing poster in his room when he was a kid

@RutherfordBcrazy 5 жыл бұрын

While saying he didn't know of artists growing up...

@vinniegiles374 4 жыл бұрын

HARING

@SebastianTinajero 6 жыл бұрын

Some of my favorite bit artist are James Jean, Kim Jung Gi , Mark Ryden , those are some of my favorite huge artist there’s so many underrated artist tho that I follow that deserve more recognition

@Skiet293 2 жыл бұрын

Love this

@xiaoyuquan8003 4 жыл бұрын

His characters r def lit. Doesn’t matter it has deep meaning or simply looking cool. No art is meaningless. It always represent artists themselves at least. However, as a fan, what really disappointed me is he didn’t create anything else new stuff since these classic pieces were displayed for ages. Artist is all about creation. I’m so keen to see Brian make new stuff with Kaws’ style to keep up refreshing us. :)

@frimpongoduro9263 4 жыл бұрын

Amazing

@ethanh8791 7 жыл бұрын

@ 2:03 nice Pushead collection displayed!

@BazookaBliss 7 жыл бұрын

Your understanding nor approval are needed

@ergnoor3551 4 жыл бұрын

You can be an artist with no conscious intention but when Bloomberg covers your project you got to understand they've got their own interest. Modern graffiti is usually a visual protest against consumerism, lack of sense in society, public blindness - not very funny from the establishment's point of view. The fact that Bloomberg is covering it means (for me personally) they are trying to powder our brains, introducing non-existent complex meanings into his work, and as a result - learning how to manage the protest art. the benefit is obvious. Ask Mr.Chomsky.

@shirnell1 5 жыл бұрын

I need to get my hands on one of these! BTS really know how to expand your mind when it comes to artistry. Glad I came here to learn more and discover a new form or art. Thank you BTS ands KAWS.

@robbscott4 3 ай бұрын

Thanks

@scarcell1 7 жыл бұрын

All the critics are so heavy handed in their "take" on Kaws, way too heady for the essence. Simplicity rules throughout his work and these cats are having a hard time wrapping him up in their standard vocab lol

@robertf6409 5 жыл бұрын

Try to wrap it up in your vocab

@UniquaIsTheName 6 жыл бұрын

I actually really like his art and sculptures, I find a huge meaning into this, idk why people are bashing him tbh

@JokeNeyrinck 7 жыл бұрын

My inspiration

@michaelbirdsong196 7 жыл бұрын

true king! original .

@Madqapsart 4 жыл бұрын

What material is he using at 7:14 does anyone know?

@gabo42013 5 жыл бұрын

How do these artists not face any legal issues when using famous cartoon characters in their art? I love his work but I know he is not the only artist to implement other people's art characters in his work

@britwhit5171 5 жыл бұрын

You know I was curious about that too! All these well known Characters he's using. Maybe they get residuals of the ones he use?

@skeezix8156 5 жыл бұрын

Gerson Santiago I looked into this also, he did get a license from the brands like Disney and Lucasfilms. To slap X X on a character is just lame.

@micharel937 4 жыл бұрын

Skeezix And then it sells for like $1000 when he just slaps $20 worth of paint or whatever

@NeekBCoolin 2 жыл бұрын

i was wondering the same, i see Mickey mouse & the Michelin man

@eubertlennardtorreliza9010 Жыл бұрын

it is under parody and fair use

@lollypopjo1 5 жыл бұрын

Toy Tokyo is seriously a mecca for any other toy nuts out there

@henrybogle8437 7 жыл бұрын

Fact that KAWS vid gets 40K+ views vs. genius Wilhelm Sasnal only gets 5K tells you a lot about contemporary art.

@TexKimball 7 жыл бұрын

"My subjective favorite artist is not as popular as a completely different artist, that means there's something wrong with the world"

@ElmwoodParkHulk 4 жыл бұрын

It's like anything else , if you can get certain people to buy into something then others buy into it ....Currency is printed art/ numbers on paper and we use it because it has perceived worth yet it's just paper and ink . Art can be used as currency as well which has perceived worth initially by a few because they say it has worth and from there others are told it has worth and then others believe it as well . In countries that have hyperinflation the currency becomes worthless yet it's the same ink and paper . If you get enough of the right people in the art world to say your art is worth something they promote it and others buy into that perceived worth .

@NoMe-Arts 3 жыл бұрын

'Nothing that Kaws does is ordinary...' - except everything he does is stolen from ordinary things...

@krissygaming5818 6 жыл бұрын

Does anyone know the meaning behind his art, like what does it symbolise with the x’s on the eyes etc. or does it have no meaning?

@mr.enigma4475 6 жыл бұрын

Respect to Kaws and all, but this was unbearably pretentious. It's not that deep.

@robertf6409 5 жыл бұрын

Name art that is deep

@emiliopalafox3825 4 жыл бұрын

Ro F is this all you do, find comments you don’t agree with and challenge them?

@emiliopalafox3825 4 жыл бұрын

Ro F there is a lot of art that has strong conceptual depth, for example Teeter-Totter Wall, the seesaw that was put in place in the border wall between the US and Mexico. Although it appears to be nothing more than a pink seesaw, there is a strong message behind it. This being that although there is a wall separating people, and keeping them away because of where they come from, we are still one race. The seesaw represents unity.

@emiliopalafox3825 4 жыл бұрын

Ro F and there is soo much more, no if you want to continue replying on other people’s comments, you should consider thinking your comments through

@micharel937 4 жыл бұрын

IEmilio PalafoxI Yeah but whatever Kaws makes which is undoubtedly really aesthetically pleasing it doesn’t have that deep of a meaning.

@rjnuzzi1648 5 жыл бұрын

The best of the new crop of famous artists since the 80's... He, Jeff Koons, & Murakami are "it"...

@JoRiver11 3 жыл бұрын

Koons sucks. 90% business, and about 10% creativity

@beatrizleda7591 5 жыл бұрын

RM and JH love this

@yoongoboongo231 4 жыл бұрын

Beatriz Leda lmao thats how i was introduced to kaws

@alanahutchings5924 6 жыл бұрын

I love KAWS

@StephenBeale 4 жыл бұрын

"I didn't know of artists" with a photo of him as a kid with a Keith Haring poster on his wall?

@samfraulino 4 жыл бұрын

along with copying Keith Haring by creating public art, Keith did the subway chalk drawings on the empty ad boards in the early 80s

@SwikeOne 4 жыл бұрын

17:50

@felipequintana6398 6 жыл бұрын

I think of myself as an aspiring artist, and my dream is to be like KAWS. I have drawn a lot of inspiration from KAWs, but with my own touches here and there. I don't want to straight up steel his art style. I really want to be fresh and original, but that is really hard. I am still an amateur artist, and I have a long way to go. KAWS has been an inspiration for me ever since my friend showed me him on Instagram a few weeks back.

@nforc3r 5 жыл бұрын

where can we see your work?

@mrsopadotun Жыл бұрын

Do you have iron patches

@michaelmecham3477 3 жыл бұрын

the x on the hands is probably misinterpreted, I would say its more of a stigmata thing

@reactibird4863 6 жыл бұрын

Kaws is still dope.

@artistdanielquinones 4 жыл бұрын

cool

@lastshotjumpers7824 4 жыл бұрын

🔥⛽🌋💯

@jesusgarcia-cc7od 8 жыл бұрын

Ron English Rules!!!!!!

@ronthemogul 7 жыл бұрын

who is the dude in the yellow jacket?

@anthonyphung1578 5 жыл бұрын

kaws lit

@studiogirabaldi Жыл бұрын

Didn't know his name ,but I know that toy

@simplyxian9186 3 жыл бұрын

Usually this used to be my favorite

@satchelyork 4 жыл бұрын

Why this dude's work was elevated beyond your garden variety illustrations i dont know. Industry creation you ask me

@malindineluheni2031 2 жыл бұрын

❤‍🔥

@paintslinger4444 5 жыл бұрын

30,000 bones for something that critics make deeper than it really is....jesus..even brian said it's not that deep

@gracefu1161 3 жыл бұрын

I realized KAWs is originally just a painting that became a toy, but nowadays it not only a toy. It can carry more things than a single toy. It carries people's WANTAGE somehow, the toy is just a format brings things out of people's mind and shows the designer's thoughts.

@79NAGR Ай бұрын

NAGR1 baby! 206 Seattle baby!

@jt______ 6 жыл бұрын

The irony of kaws making toys

@Trezlez 7 жыл бұрын

8:17 the definition of reading into it too much

@ionashc6267 5 жыл бұрын

18:33 "Oh, contemporary artist! I always feel like these labels aren't necessary. 18:51 "MaJoR CoNtEmPoRaRy ArTiSt"

@omokok1877 4 жыл бұрын

@begs100 7 жыл бұрын

Made the dopest js on earth

@Rhys-pc8up 4 жыл бұрын

they should make some of the gloves on the figures that you can wear

@tdgarage4012 5 жыл бұрын

Is this a prank video? There’s nothing in terms of social commentary in “this artists” work. He just creates what looks cool to him. For others to pull out such deep meaning out of nothing is laughable.

@micharel937 4 жыл бұрын

_ MEZZI _ well lets just say that because he’s hyped you like his “art”

@Triannosaurus 5 жыл бұрын

How dope would it be to have an original Ad poster KAWS painted over in the day?

@robertf6409 5 жыл бұрын

Was thinking that

@wanderingsoul1500 5 жыл бұрын

Chinese people are now in chaos buying shirts from Uniqlo with his work of art on it,apparently the shirts with his art on it are sold on big bucks online

@richiedressler8552 4 жыл бұрын

They put Kaws in the same category as Rembrandt and Angelo 💀🤦

@sadville13 4 жыл бұрын

:'D what a joke.

@Kingeos0 3 жыл бұрын

beatmetodeath he’s better lol get over it

@sadville13 3 жыл бұрын

@@Kingeos0 :'D He puts crosses over the top of other peoples artwork.

@pepepepito3960 4 жыл бұрын

si este artista fuera un personaje creado en un videojuego diría que tiene 100 puntos de inteligencia, 1 punto de mana y 100 puntos de suerte.

@Fotosynthesis858 3 жыл бұрын

Is he that Em&Em guy? Slim Sadie or whatever? The rapper?

@DkaeRisk 4 жыл бұрын

Stay Street Keep it Real Underground

@some_1214 4 жыл бұрын

19:24 Wowie, that thing sure is big. You wanna climb it or something?

@TheConcreteGarden 6 жыл бұрын

lmaoooo yo this on my bday wtf

@jcm8009 5 жыл бұрын

Academic art critics drive me to drink I need a 40oz vodka tonic Luv Kaws

@petramchalach3075 5 жыл бұрын

"he can do Rembrandt " oh for fuck sake

@gitoyatyndale4639 5 жыл бұрын

I put that blue one out there

@22sam6 6 жыл бұрын

Is this still in yorkshire??

@lollypopjo1 5 жыл бұрын

Nope

@jintat87 4 жыл бұрын

It's amazing how a mickey mouse with balls ear mask can get so famous

@BlakJetTek 5 жыл бұрын

10:35 is scary

@boyfrienddick 3 жыл бұрын

something's missing between him being a graffiti artist and him making toys.... like how did he get that opportunity? how did they get popular?

@officialramennoodle4119 4 жыл бұрын

I wanna see a kaws cartoon

@lluhu 3 жыл бұрын

Walt Disney (de)generation

@mikevanderheiden 7 жыл бұрын

nice commercial

@Jakeurb8ty82 4 жыл бұрын

I no longer feel bad about being 37 and still wearing my upper playground jacket...

@rickimadrid573 4 жыл бұрын

I wonder when jaws will come out with something original

@olafsager6056 2 жыл бұрын

fourteen years younger and fourteen times more success than me, did there anything go wrong? (from my com-museum, book 46)

@dustybornfree4846 5 жыл бұрын

KOOL,,,,DUSTER,,,,,,,,,,,,,UNIITED ARTISTS,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

@yeewahevachui 5 жыл бұрын

I dont hv special feelings about his work. Just here trying to work out why ppl like his figures.

@xcvxcvcxvxvcq 5 жыл бұрын

“Psychology on the molecular level” lol I love that Asian guy he’s so genuinely passionate

@bosco9291 4 жыл бұрын

Kaws did something real when he created the character and put it in unexpected situations, he changed something, but now all this repetition is just a gimmick.

@jcm8009 5 жыл бұрын

Rules for art are like swimming lessons for fish Yup K is a biggie