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Edmund Lee

48 HOURS: As an artist, how have you changed since the exhibition of your giant sculpture Companion (Passing Through) in Hong Kong in 2010?
KAWS: Um, I don't know. Honestly, that project feels like 10 minutes ago. The other day when I was talking about it, I thought it was only two years ago, so …
The dejected pose of the Passing Through figure was inspired by sitting at the Harbour City forecourt and feeling mortified by the crowds. What's the idea behind your new seven-metre sculpture Clean Slate  (which is showing at the same location until October 19)?
Maybe because it's been four years, he's ready to go — so he just stands up and leaves. It's not a serious concept. I was thinking of it as — I don't know — a bear holding little baby bears. [ Laughs] Each of the Companion sculptures has always existed as a single figure, but to me it's not [only] one single personality. This new work is a good way to make it seem like part of a larger story.
You began in graffiti art, which can be very transient, and you have been working in design, in which trends come and go by default. Do you think some of your creations are ephemeral?
Yes and no. It's weird, because I work in several different fields. In 2010, I did a book with [art book publishing house] Rizzoli. Only in doing that book did I realise, 's***, it's been 20 years since I started'. My taste changes just as everyone's taste changes, so I don't want to be stuck as a toy designer or a street artist or a contemporary artist. I'd like to avoid those labels and make sure that I'm interested when I wake up.
It was a surprise when you closed down your clothing and toy label OriginalFake last year. Are you reducing your commercial projects so that you can push for more respect in ...
[ Interjects] No, for me it's nothing to do with respect. I feel that doing something like OriginalFake is just as respectable as doing a museum show. It's more about following my interest. Before I had the company, I was always curious about what it would be like to have a company. And now I know. [ Laughs] It's something I just worked through. You know, you have to take things off the table to open up space to venture into new projects.
So do you see it as your next challenge to further establish yourself in the institutionalised world of fine art?
As an artist, I feel you can't think like that. You just have to try to focus on the work you want to make and try to make it good. I think about what I was doing last year — am I doing it better this year? Institutions or trends or any of that, are so out of your hands.
But not entirely. When critics see an artist producing vinyl toy figures, they are bound to be more sceptical.
When I first opened OriginalFake, I didn't care if I showed in galleries. When I grew up, one of the artists that I liked was Keith Haring because of his Pop Shop [which sold Haring's designs]; it was in tune with the culture that I grew up with. It's important to have an honest dialogue with myself and with the people seeing my work. As far as institutions go, it's all people. As time goes on, the people who are holding the keys to the gate will get old and die, and then kids our age or younger will take the positions. They'll understand the significance of this type of work and what it means.
How do you want to be recognised?
I don't really think about how I want to be recognised. I just think about what I can do to secure [the prospect] that I can make art until I die. I just want to be able to make things that I want to make. If I have an idea, I want to be able to bring it to fruition. That's really the goal.
 


The Inquisition: sculptor Kaws (aka Brian Donnelly)

Artist Kaws isn’t worried about being misunderstood

The Inquisition: sculptor Kaws (aka Brian Donnelly)

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Artist Kaws isn’t worried about being misunderstood

Artist Kaws isn’t worried about being misunderstood