KAWS - New Now London Tuesday, December 15, 2020 | Phillips

New Now

London Auction 15 December 2020

  • Provenance

    Private Collection, Los Angeles (acquired directly from the artist)
    Acquired from the above by the present owner

  • Artist Biography

    KAWS

    American • 1974

    To understand the work of KAWS is to understand his roots in the skateboard and graffiti crews of New York City. Brian Donnelly chose KAWS as his moniker to tag city streets beginning in the 1990s, and quickly became a celebrated standout in the scene. Having swapped spray paint for explorations in fine art spanning sculpture, painting and collage, KAWS has maintained a fascination with classic cartoons, including Garfield, SpongeBob SquarePants and The Simpsons, and reconfigured familiar subjects into a world of fantasy. 

    Perhaps he is most known for his larger-than-life fiberglass sculptures that supplant the body of Mickey Mouse onto KAWS' own imagined creatures, often with 'x'-ed out eyes or ultra-animated features. However, KAWS also works frequently in neon and vivid paint, adding animation and depth to contemporary paintings filled with approachable imagination. There is mass appeal to KAWS, who exhibits globally and most frequently in Asia, Europe and the United States.  

    View More Works

159

KAWS

Three works: (i) SPONGEBOB; (ii) SPONGEBOB; (iii) SPONGEBOB

(i) signed and dated ‘KAWS ..11’ lower right; numbered ‘21/100’ lower left
(ii) signed and dated ‘KAWS ..11’ lower right; numbered ‘57/100’ lower left
(i) signed and dated ‘KAWS ..11’ lower right ; numbered ‘77/100’ lower left
screenprint in colour on wove paper
each sheet 50 x 50 cm (19 5/8 x 19 5/8 in.)
each framed 76.2 x 76.2 cm (30 x 30 in.)
(i) Executed in 2011, this work is number 21 from an edition of 100 plus 20 artist's proofs.
(ii) Executed in 2011, this work is number 57 from an edition of 100 plus 20 artist's proofs.
(iii) Executed in 2011, this work is number 77 from an edition of 100 plus 20 artist's proofs.

Estimate
£30,000 - 50,000 

Contact Specialist

Simon Tovey
Specialist, Head of New Now Sale
London
+44 20 7318 4084

New Now

London Auction 15 December 2020