HAHA save that for when The Warriors hits broadway I guess I just like more classic looking stuff I only wear black and white, fitted caps, chucks, vans, 3 row stud belt, levi's and dickies. All I know is other industry guys that make streetwear brands hate and talk shit consinstently on all the sort of stuff I mentioned, even the stores that sell it laugh hysterically at the kids that buy it. I am not a hater and think it is cool that he is doing something he can make money at doing and understand people have different tastes, doesn't change my opinion or make my background a joke though. Obviously canada has never had a distinct street style and how you perceive it being here might be dilluted by what you are told rather than observed.
I'm still a big fan but this is pretty bad. It's totally lacking the creepiness that his characters usually have.
The only time KAWS matters to me is when PUS is involved...had street cred doesnt cout....it has to be HAS Street Cred...if thats the game being played.
thats a silly statement. The guy is just an artist from SVA who figured out how to make a living as an artist. Who makes you the chancellor of "street culture," anyway? I was seeing kaws throw-ups and pieces in 120z prophet before I ever even knew what a companion was. If you don't like his stuff, that's cool. But the whole street culture argument is so tired. I give props to any artist, whether I like their work or not, who can gain even a third of an audience like kaws' AND make a living doing what they love to do. Personally I'm not a fan of spongebob in the first place, but whatever...and I'd rather have a barry mcgee than an original kaws painting anyway. But c'mon, "street culture?"
I didn't make it into a street culture statement someone else had. Plus you just said oh I read in magazines such as bla bla bla and that was exactly my point, a few rap songs and glossy magazines aren't what its about which is why I don't like it. Plus I said Kaws has been whack SINCE he made toys and said I thought his old work was good BEFORE he became a hippacrit doing the exact same stuff he got famous for hating. I also had said I am not a hater and think its awesome that he can make money doing what he is doing, next time read the whole thread.
bla bla bla was put out by graff artists and is legendary. Check out the early issues if you can find them...full color glossy photos of amazing graff from all around the world. I don't think kaws has been whack since he started making toys...the companion is in the top 10 best of all time. I did read your whole thread. I think it's silly though. kaws was also in a franz ferdinand video too...so are faux indie fuckster douchebags responsible for kaws' downfall too?
My likeness for KAWS has decreased over the past releases, but I still have some sort of hope for a nice future release (KIMPSONS FIGURE, WARMREGARDS FIGURE, MORE BENDYS, & THE SMALL PINK DUDE IN THE PAINTING BELOW). I still like the OF clothing though.
I have a lot of issues of 12oz prophets and the short lived vapors publication they put out about 6 or 7 years back. Bought them usually to see shots of Ghost or REVS stuff. I wasn't trying to set style or culture rules or anything just giving an opinion. He is a hippacrit though that started off with hatred for corporations and capitalism and defaced their ads and such and now he turns huge profits on tv and toys and works with those corporations? Thats a freakin joke. I still like his pieces and bus stop work but nothing beyond that, I even went to his Tokyo First show in japan years back, that was before he was doing shit for money and fashion and went against everything I thought he stood for which is basically the only reason I liked him in the first place. I didn't blame anyone but him for my opinion of his work lacking and him being a sellout. But now the guy is essentially taking drawing a mustache and glasses onto a person to a new level with x x's and crossbones, kinda lame. Liked it better when it was changing DIESEL to DIE and drawing a subtle character that WORKED well with the photo and sticking it back up to make a few think and get what its about, that is cool. Getting paid to draw some x x's and bones on something for a huge company for money so they can use it to make more money? uhhhhh what. Like I said my personal opinion, this is kind of getting circular so I am over it, art is art some people are going to like it and there is always going to be sellouts. Remember in Style Wars when those kids are hitting canvases and having an art opening and there is all these kooks talking about how great it is and the kids are all stoked like Yeaaaa I am gonna be making moneyyyy, I don't care about piecing anymore if I can get paid, and you just watched that and was like fuck those people have it so twisted, ya, thats kaws and his followers nowadays.
I just noticed this thread and like the Sponge Bob picture. I don't love it because it looks too much like Sponge Bob and not enough KAWS to it in my opinion, but I do like it. I think just plain X's for eyes would have worked better instead of just on the eyeballs.
yeah...i agree to the observation earlier on this thread that Kaws trademark is somewhat "dilluted" with this particular piece. But in a collab, its a real challenge striking the balance between two artists/creators---not feeling this one though.
Spongebob is great. Kaws...on the other hand. No opinion..either way. I don't buy his products but I guess he is a marketing genius of some sorts. His dissected stuff was kind of interesting but the fact that he puts no effort into his pop "art" ( besides the x's on eyes ) and people will still buy his stuff for 100's makes him smart I guess. I'm sure we'll be seeing..."Ronald McDonald kaws," "Power Rangers Kaws," "batman" kaws, etc. can't wait.
KAWS fell off a long ways back. I still enjoy his stuff from 5+ years ago, but I'm disgusted by what I've seen from him lately. The only thing I respect about it is the fact that he's still raking in the dollars. Other than that the stench is so foul it's likely to spoil his previous successes. Now that he's hot with the 15-minutes-of-fame crowd I'm sure he'll be tossed aside and forgotten once he's no longer en vogue.
Never new what all the fuss was about w/ Kaws. Could never really get with the artsy street art stuff. Grew up on letter based artists: Phase 2, Doc Tc5, Dondi, Skeme, T-Kid, Shame, Nicer... Props to him, great timing. He's a pop culture phenomenon.
here, here! also, in response to Loco (and not in defense of Kaws in ANY way) many artists have made a shitload more money than kaws doing a SHITload less than slapping two X's on an old character's face. I gave up trying to understand the art world (which i work in every day) a LONG time ago... twas' a funny post though...made me laugh...
he is not alone! seems to be an inevitable problem of so many socially critical artists when they become "rich and famous". its absurd, all german contemporary painters going by the name of leipziger schule - residing from former ddr - with a socalist background and messages, but selling for 100.000 $ each painting with waiting lists of 50 collectors, mainly from us and a. think so too, wouldnt expect anything new from kaws, imo he already did enough to make the next koons, haring, whoever. expecting pretty boring days of collecting kaws, but when tokyo policeman and blister packed simpson figs will show up later this year, dont mind spongebob, batmen, etc.
