KAWS: He Eats Alone

by Germano Celant (Editor)

A clothbound collection of KAWS’ instantly recognizable riffs on pop culture, featuring bold graphics and a familiar cast of characters Few artists have managed to bridge the gap between high and low culture as seamlessly as KAWS has since his career took off in the 1990 his iconic cartoon-inspired designs have graced fashion collections, vinyl figurines, and skateboards as well as canvases sold for millions of dollars. Frequently portraying familiar figures such as Mickey Mouse and Spongebob Squarepants with cauliflower ears and X’ed-out eyes, KAWS employs a sophisticated dark humor throughout his work, exploring the relationship between art and consumerism.

This publication documents the artist’s first exhibit in the Middle East, with more than 40 key pieces in sculpture and painting from the last two decades. The exhibit in Doha, Qatar, and its accompanying catalog also feature a number of KAWS’ commercial collaborations alongside his 5-meter-tall sculpture Companion (Passing Through) and his inflatable 40-meter-tall piece Holiday . Bound in cloth, this volume is a gorgeous collection of KAWS’ most exciting work.

Brian Donnelly (born 1974), known professionally by his graffiti tag KAWS , is the mastermind behind one of today’s most recognizable artistic brands. A graffiti artist since adolescence, Donnelly received his BFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in 1996. He then worked as a background artist for animated TV programs before becoming an independent designer. He has worked with artists like Kanye West and collaborated with brands such as Supreme, Nike and Comme des Garçons. He is currently represented by Skarstedt Gallery in New York.

321 pages, Hardcover

Published October 6, 2020

About the author

Germano Celant (11 September 1940 – 29 April 2020) was an Italian art historian, critic, and curator who coined the term "Arte Povera" (poor art) in 1967.
Celant was the renowned curator of contemporary art at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, and artistic director at the Fondazione Prada in Milan.

On 29 April 2020, Celant died in Milan from COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. He was 79.

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of the KAWS books I am beginning to accumulate, this one was the most exciting for me. The quality is very nice and the images were spectacularly chosen. Seeing some images from the exhibition at the Fort Worth Modern made this one even more special for me. I went to this exhibitions several times because I just could not get enough. One of the first experiences where I began falling in love with modern art. So happy I treated myself to this book and can’t wait to collect more and hopefully see KAWS’ work in person again.

[frankie · Rating 2 out of 5]

i really enjoy kaws as an artist and i like his creations. but this book was really boring and i donated it right after i bought it. i felt like i was going to rip out the pages when i tried opening them to view the bigger images. every other page was like this.. horrible design. i would rather have had some artwork to display or something small instead of buying this book.

[Lewistron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational