The KAWS effect — How a New York street artist transformed into a global challenger brand

“KAWS comes to Yorkshire.” I had to look twice. ‘The KAWS..? The graffiti artist from New Jersey?’ Yep, that’s what it said on the Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s (YSP) website. Now YSP is no slouch at attracting world class talent, but this is KAWS we’re talking about. His vinyl toys sit proudly on many a designer’s shelves, but how will they work amongst the super stars of the sculpture world like Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Antony Gormley etc?

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The headline took me a moment, but then made perfect sense. The YSP is a magical place that juxtaposes the work of some of the world’s best modernist sculptors, against beautiful vistas of rolling English countryside. The space allows the work to breathe. It gives you room to manoeuvre around giant pieces and see them from all angles. Best of all there’s a dynamic between each piece and its rural setting that makes the sculpture look otherworldly, at odds, but equally at home. It seems only natural that KAWS would set his unique figures striding across the countryside, and in so doing introduce the KAWS brand to another new audience.

This unusual initiative captures the paradox of his work. A graffiti artist that rose to notoriety by subverting everyday icons of the commercial world, and in so doing became a world-class brand himself.

KAWS (aka Brian Donnelly), began his career working for Disney whilst tagging in his twilight hours. Having somehow acquired the key to all the advertising poster sites on bus shelters in New York, he would surreptitiously remove the posters at night, paint over them, and return them to their original location before dawn. The advertising of major brands such as Calvin Klein, AT&T, and Wonderbra, unwittingly became the host to his work. These brands had taken over the city, and now his brand was taking over their territory. KAWS’s art consists of cartoon like characters appropriated from brands such as Disney and the Michelin man, which react against the aspirational language of advertising. Before long the subverted ads were being stolen from the sites across the city as collector’s pieces.

The next move came when KAWS transformed his characters, from temporary drawings into 3D figurines, manufactured by Medicom. In so doing, the street artist became an entrepreneur, with a product that could be mass produced, albeit in limited editions. KAWS became one of the ‘first movers’ to fuel the vinyl figurine collectors market. The demand for the artists’ collectibles became such, that he established Original Fake (great name), his own retail brand, with a flagship store in the heart of Tokyo. Here a growing following of in-the-know types, would que all night for his latest, box-fresh limited edition figure. What some people look upon as ‘toys,’ brought the same kind of fevered anticipation that could make an Apple stores green with envy. This became the tipping point where the artist/entrepreneur became a brand.

Like many other brands, KAWS understood the power of collaboration. He’s designed graphics for Kanye West, A Bathing Ape, Nike, Uniqlo and Hennessy. These well-chosen associations help him to gain further exposure to new audiences. The partnerships equate to 1+1 =11, with the sub culture icon aligning with mainstream brands to keep everyone second guessing his next move. Soon after an introduction from Pharell, (another partner), KAWS found himself the focus of another type of collector, Emmanuel Perrotin. The first of many high profile gallerists eager to display the KAWS repertoire to their elite art world clientele.

Artist as brand isn’t that new. Warhol was a graphic designer and illustrator before he turned to art. Like KAWS he appropriated the commercial world (soup cans etc.) and mass produced them via screen printing. Jeff Koons and Murakami are more recent examples, who take from what is considered to be low art, such as comic books and otaku culture, and reformulate it into high art. But no one has done it in such a stealthy way as KAWS.

I would go so far as to say that KAWS is a challenger brand. Like the best challengers he’s stepped over the gate-keepers of the rarefied art world and carved his own path. Using mainstream brand tactics of: mass production, partnerships, retail, product development and skillful use of social media, he has built a dedicated following, as his 400,000 Instagram followers will testify.

I think the trick that KAWS’s pulls off so well, is his constant dance between the lines of high art and low art, it makes his art accessible, but at the same time keeps people wondering, ‘Where is this journey taking us?’ Which is what great brands do. It should come as no surprise to see KAWS’s gigantic, pop art masterpieces presented against the English countryside, it’s that paradox that makes his work such an unexpected treat..

KAWS’ work will be on display at YSP until December 2016, find out more here. An exploration of the artist’s prolific career is covered in a new book, "KAWS: Where the end starts" by Andrea Karnes and Maria Price, will be available on the 27 October 2016.

All pictures provided with kind permission of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park .