Kaws: serious artist or blown-up pop-culture creation? Art museums are suddenly paying attention to American’s work

He cites Keith Haring as an influence; Justin Bieber, Pharrell Williams, DJ Khaled and Larry Warsh collect him; a 2005 Kaws painting sold for US$14.8 million

One critic called his work promotional ‘garbage’, but Kaws has collaborated with brands such as Dior, Nike, and Uniqlo, and says being accessible matters

Reading Time:5 minutes

American artist Brian Donnelly, also known as Kaws, poses with his seven-metre tall bronze sculpture called ‘Gone’ during the ‘Kaws: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness’ exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia, last week. Photo: EPA

Published: 5:55pm, 23 Sep 2019Updated: 8:39pm, 23 Sep 2019

In a baseball cap and jeans, Brian Donnelly has the chilled-out vibe of a seasoned skater as he leans forward, elbows on knees, and shrugs.

“Honestly, I wish the headlines were about the work,” says the 44-year-old artist. “There’s money out there, and people can spend it how they wish. It does not make the work better or worse.”

Donnelly, better known as Kaws, is sitting in the office above his Brooklyn studio, surrounded by the collectible characters that have made him a pop culture phenomenon.

If you haven’t heard of him, you have probably seen his work: with 2.4 million fans on Instagram, a huge following in Asia, a coveted line of vinyl toys, and collaborations with brands as varied as Dior, Nike, Sesame Street and Uniqlo, Kaws has become one of the most popular living artists in the world.

New York-based artist and designer Kaws on Canton Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, in September, 2014. Photo: Jonathan Wong

But that also makes him one of the most contentious. The headlines he refers to happened only recently: in March this year, his 2005 painting The Kaws Album was sold for a shocking US$14.8 million. It was a secondary market sale, which Donnelly had no control over, did not profit from, and is clearly sick of talking about.