Hello,
KAWS
The KAWS + Warhol show at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh is garnering acclaim, just in time for this season’s special collaboration between Andy Warhol and UT. To hear KAWS’s thoughts on Warhol and gain insight into his creative practice, we visited his studio in Brooklyn, New York.
- Q1. At age fifteen, what did you want to be when you grew up?
- I was already thinking about art, I just wasn’t aware you could make a living doing it. There was nobody in my life that worked in the arts in any way.
- Q2. What musical artists that you listened to back then do you still listen to?
- The Smiths, R.E.M., Talking Heads.
- Q3. Tell us about your first trip to Japan in 1997.
- I was able to take my first trip to Japan by trading some of my artwork for plane tickets with the brother of a Japanese classmate from the School of Visual Arts, where I attended college. I had some friends in New York that were already working in Japan and they introduced me to some of the creatives that they knew.
- Q4. What are your top-three destinations in Tokyo, places that you have to go to every time you visit? This can be anything from neighbourhoods to favourite businesses.
- [Laughs] I am a creature of habit and I think every time I visit Tokyo I go to Mandarake to search for old books, then to Hands to buy little things I really don’t need, then to Maisen for lunch. I usually do this by myself because I don’t want any pressure on how long I should take in each store.
- Q5. Tell us about the moment you came up with COMPANION.
- COMPANION first started as a skull and crossbones that I painted on some billboard graffiti in the mid-nineties. It was almost a throwaway doodle that I made while waiting for my friend to finish his piece next to me. I liked the way it looked and started to use it more and more. At a certain point, I figured that the head needed a body and my first opportunity to make a vinyl toy came around.
What’s COMPANION?
A character with skinny arms and legs, a bulbous head, white gloves, and X-ed out eyes, a KAWS trademark. First merchandised in 1999 as an 8-inch vinyl toy, it’s since appeared in many forms, from paintings and sculptures to augmented reality. Counting designers and musicians among his many fans, KAWS often does collaborations.
- Q6. Your solo show at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh just opened. What are the highlights?
- I’m excited to have my work in Pittsburgh, since it’s a city where I’ve never exhibited my work before. I think one of the highlights of the show will be a new installation of artworks based on my project with General Mills and their “Monster” characters. Those characters are ingrained in American culture and I hope it will be interesting to show them alongside Warhol works that also explore commercialism, like his Brillo Boxes.
- Q7. If Warhol were alive and the two of you could speak, what would you want to talk about? Where would you like to go together?
- I’m not sure Warhol would be very talkative. A trip to Tokyo would be fun. No words necessary, just moving around looking at stuff and maybe some shopping.
- Q8. We get the sense that Warhol has been a major influence on your work. Do you perceive any similarities in how you and Warhol approach life and work?
- Warhol and the pop artists in general have had an undeniable influence not only on American art, but American culture in general. I think it would be difficult not to be influenced by their work in some way. With Warhol, I see an artist that didn’t confine himself within the traditional “art world” and that’s something that I strive for as well. There are so many ways to exist as an artist. Warhol opened many doors.
The Andy Warhol Museum: KAWS + Warhol
Andy Warhol artwork ©️The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.
In celebration of its thirtieth anniversary, the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh organized this exhibition to present the work of these two pop art greats. The idea was to examine dark themes present in the work of both artists, particularly motifs related to death. Works by KAWS can be found not only in the museum itself, but in the Pop Park facing the entrance, where a monumental wooden sculpture is on display. Show on view through January 20th, 2025. The exhibition will tour internationally, including in Tokyo in 2026.
At his Brooklyn studio, KAWS is working on several works at once, preparing for an upcoming show. He offered us a special viewing of a new series where he inserts his signature motifs into cereal box packaging for American food manufacturer General Mills. KAWS takes a moment to consult the schematics.
- Q9. It’s been a pleasure to collaborate with you again on a number of items for UT. How did you approach this work?
- I wanted to be very conscious about not working over Warhol’s artwork, because obviously he’s not here to contribute his ideas to the designs. I wanted to find a balance that could pair our work side by side and hopefully let it speak for itself in a respectful manner without altering his iconic imagery.
- Q10. UT is about making art accessible and creating shirts we hope will become favourites. What does it feel like seeing your work in the context of a person’s outfit when you’re around town or traveling?
- I am always excited to see my work out in the world and interacting with people’s lives. Collaborating with UNIQLO allows me to create a project that is truly global.
Introducing the KAWS + Warhol Collection from UT!
The new UT collection features a collaboration between KAWS and Andy Warhol that transcends time. Along with the items pictured, the twenty-
four pieces include T-shirts, socks and kids’ sizes.
- © KAWS
- ©/®/TM The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.
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Some samples from UT. First collaborating in 2016, UNIQLO and KAWS have completed nine collections to date.
- Q11. What never fails to clear your mind?
- Being with my family.
- Q12. What’s the last time you felt lucky?
- I feel lucky every day!
- Q13. What books have you recently enjoyed?
- I’m currently reading Julia Voss’s biography of Hilma af Klint. It’s a fascinating book so far. I also really enjoyed Every Man for Himself and God Against All by Werner Herzog.
- Q14. What movie have you seen more times than any other?
- I don’t really watch movies more than once. I remember watching Donnie Darko a few times over the years.
- Q15. Who in New York strikes you as exceptionally fashionable?
- My partner Julia Chiang has the best style.
- Q16. What’s your impression of UNIQLO’s clothing?
- Accessible without compromise.
- Q17. What, in your opinion, makes something “timeless”?
- “Timeless” is something that needs to be earned in the collective consciousness of a particular group. There are many versions of “timeless” and none are more valid than the next.
- Q18. If you were going to make a film, what would be your approach and what story would you want to tell?
- I would probably make a documentary on an artist. This would give me an excuse to spend lots of time focusing on one person.
A dazzling private collection of art. This is the same space featured on KAWS’s Instagram, where artists can be seen lounging in the studio. KAWS flips through an Andy Warhol exhibition catalog from 1969. His collection of art books, old and new, is many years in the making.
- Q18. If you were going to make a film, what would be your approach and what story would you want to tell?
- I would probably make a documentary on an artist. This would give me an excuse to spend lots of time focusing on one person.
- Q19. We hear that you collect the work of Tadanori Yokoo. What draws you to his style?
- Tadanori Yokoo has always been a hero to me. When I first started going to Tokyo in the mid-nineties he had many books in the bookstores and I would buy every one I could find!
- Q20. You’ve worked in street art, illustration, animation, 3D objects, augmented reality...With the different dimensions to your art practice, what does your next challenge look like?
- No matter the medium––whether augmented reality, a bronze sculpture, or a vinyl toy––I always approach creating my work in a similar manner. I see all the different facets of my practice as connected, and even if I move away from something for a while, I find myself often going back to older imagery and reincorporating it into newer work. Even though the materials or tools are different, the process and intention don’t change much. I’m not sure what the next challenge will look like, but I thrive off being challenged to work in new ways.
- Q21. Young artists are frequent guests at your studio. Do you make an effort to connect with the next generation?
- I just like meeting people and sharing ideas. Young or old doesn’t matter.
- Q22. What message do you have for creative young people hoping to pursue careers in art?
- I always encourage young people to take the opportunity to travel as much as they can. Opening your mind to different cultures, places, and ways of life is not only inspiring for your creative practice, but also good for you as a person.
KAWSArtist
Born in 1974 in New Jersey. Beginning in his teens with work influenced by graffiti culture, KAWS gained attention in the early 1990s on the streets of New York and New Jersey. COMPANION made its first appearance as a toy in 1999. Alongside showing work in museums, KAWS collaborates with fashion brands and with musicians on cover art, in addition to creating monumental art found all over the world. His art practice transcends boundaries. In tandem with KAWS + Warhol at the Andy Warhol Museum, a solo show at Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill, New York called KAWS: TIME OFF is on view through October 13th. After that, The Drawing Center in NYC will host The Way I See It: Selections from the KAWS Collection from October 10th through January 19th, 2025.
- Photography by Atsushi Nishijima (KAWS), Yoshio Kato (items)
Release dates vary depending on the product. All listed prices, current as of August 23th, include sales tax and are subject to change.
