Confined by KAWS, created in 2022, is a striking tapestry made from 100% superfine cashmere. The piece features one of KAWS' signature characters, recognizable by its X eyes, positioned behind a set of bold red bars, evoking a sense of entrapment or isolation. The use of deep purples and blues gives the tapestry a moody and contemplative atmosphere, while the contrast with the red bars heightens the feeling of confinement. The soft textures of cashmere juxtapose with the stark imagery, creating an emotional tension between the material and the visual representation. This tapestry reflects KAWS' continuing exploration of themes like loneliness, isolation, and the commercialization of identity, rendered in his distinctive pop art style.
KAWS (USA, 1974), born Brian Donnelly, is a contemporary artist and designer celebrated for his cartoon-inspired sculptures, paintings, and collectible toys. Merging street art and pop culture, his iconic 'Companion' figures and bold graphics have reached global audiences, bridging the worlds of fine art, fashion, and commercial design.
TapestryTapestry is a heavy, handwoven textile featuring intricate designs or images woven directly into the fabric. Created by skilled weavers using materials like wool, linen, cotton, silk, and sometimes silver and gold threads, tapestries have historically served as art pieces, decorations, insulation, and symbols of authority.
Confined by KAWS, created in 2022, is a striking tapestry made from 100% superfine cashmere. The piece features one of KAWS' signature characters, recognizable by its X eyes, positioned behind a set of bold red bars, evoking a sense of entrapment or isolation. The use of deep purples and blues gives the tapestry a moody and contemplative atmosphere, while the contrast with the red bars heightens the feeling of confinement. The soft textures of cashmere juxtapose with the stark imagery, creating an emotional tension between the material and the visual representation. This tapestry reflects KAWS' continuing exploration of themes like loneliness, isolation, and the commercialization of identity, rendered in his distinctive pop art style.
KAWS (USA, 1974), born Brian Donnelly, is a contemporary artist and designer celebrated for his cartoon-inspired sculptures, paintings, and collectible toys. Merging street art and pop culture, his iconic 'Companion' figures and bold graphics have reached global audiences, bridging the worlds of fine art, fashion, and commercial design.
Born Brian Donnelly but creating under a pseudonym, Kaws is an artist renowned for his acrylic paintings and sculptures that often employ repeated and distinctive graphics while reworking highly recognisable pop culture icons – Companion is one of his most notable sculptures, a large-scale, clown-like and darker take on the universally-recognised Mickey Mouse. Kaws’ early foray into art was through the form of street-graffiti; his trademark ‘x’ symbol, often applied over the hands, eyes and mouths of his characters, sprung from this phase in which Kaws would often replace public advertisements with his own artwork, a technique known as subvertising. Kaws uses a number of different materials throughout his creative processes including wood, aluminium, fiberglass and a steel pontoon inflatable raft; he has also collaborated with numerous companies and artists including Santastic! and John Mayer. (Artist website)
Hard Edge art is a style of abstract painting that became popular in the 1960s. It features areas of color separated by crisp, sharp edges that are painted with geometric precision. The term hard-edge painting was coined by art critic Jules Langsner to describe this approach, which contrasts with the softer, more fluid forms of other abstract styles.