KAWS in London

A Public Gallery

Born in 1974 in New Jersey, KAWS began his career as a graffiti artist in the 1990s, tagging advertisements and billboards in New York. His ability to transform street murals, featuring familiar yet distorted cartoons, blurred the line between commercial and fine arts. 

KAW’s early works, which featured playful reimaginings of pop culture figures with crossed-out “X” eyes, quickly gained attention for their blend of humour, subversion,video game and emotional depth. Today, KAWS’ work spans large-scale sculptures, collectible toys, high-fashion collaborations, and paintings that explore the intersection of consumer culture and human emotion. His collaborations with brands such as Epic Games to bring his unique artistic vision to Fortnite, Uniqlo and Dior have further cemented his influence on contemporary art and product design. In his first major solo exhibition in London he presents new and recent works in physical and augmented reality. 

KAWS’ fascination with pop culture is evident in his reinterpretation of beloved cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse and Snoopy. His work transforms these symbols of childhood innocence into thought-provoking paintings and graphics. Through his Companion series, KAWS explores themes of new fiction, identity and physical human connection. He makes his art deeply relatable to young people. KAWS work is infused with humour, humanity and affection for today.  

After high school KAWS went to the School of Visual Arts in New York. KAWS’ artistic journey began as a young artist in New York, when he would remove advertisements from bus stops and billboards, paint over them with acrylic designs of cartoon characters and distorted faces, and replace them. This early intervention into the world of mass media blurred the lines between street art and mainstream advertising.

One of KAWS’ earliest works, Untitled (Calvin Klein) (2000), reflects this period. The piece, which features two acrylic-painted Calvin Klein advertisements, showcases KAWS’ fascination with both subverting and engaging with the visual language of consumer culture. Far from rejecting these corporate images, KAWS embraced them and added his own playful and emotionally charged characters to elevate the mundane into art. His work has been exhibited in cities like Atlanta, Philadelphia and Fort Worth. 

By the early 2000s, kaws artworks were appearing in leading galleries around the world. From the Brooklyn Museum and the Nerman Museum to the National Gallery and the Yuz Museum in Shanghai. In 2019 he opened his first exhibition in Australia. In the National Gallery of Victoria you can see the display ´Companionship in the age of loneliness at NGV International´ in Melbourne. This exhibition gallery is a mix of cartoonish faces to the perfume models of bus-stop ads. Nostalgica figures such as The Simpsons, The Smurfs and Sesame Street bring childlike memories together with daylife themes as death and mortality.       

His ability to merge graffiti aesthetics with pop culture references gave his work mass appeal without losing artistic depth. At Moco Museum London, visitors can explore this transition firsthand. The KAWS art gallery London features key pieces that reflect his early street art and contemporary art and his transformation into a global art phenomenon.

Companion and the Human Condition

In 1999, KAWS introduced Companion, a melancholic figure inspired by Mickey Mouse, but with X-ed-out eyes and a skull-like head. KAWS figures, initially released as a collectible vinyl toy with the Japanese brand Bounty Hunter, quickly became a cultural icon. In various postures, it reflects themes of vulnerability, loneliness, and the emotional disconnect of modern life.

Companion has since evolved into a global symbol of contemporary art. KAWS has created monumental versions of Companion in locations like Hong Kong, Tokyo, and New York, where the figure’s oversized form invites public interaction. In 2013, NYT (Companion Close Up) Brown presented a large canvas rendering of Companion, highlighting the emotional complexity of the figure through a close-up encounter.

Bronze sculptures in KAWS museum London

KAWS’ bronze sculptures embody the permanence of his artistic vision. Unlike his playful vinyl figures, these creations carry a physical weight. The bronze works have been displayed in renowned spaces like the Serpentine North Gallery, reinforcing his status in the fine arts world. 

At Moco Museum London, KAWS’ exploration of human emotion through Companion takes center stage. The figure’s greyscale palette and introspective postures reflect KAWS’ commentary on the tension between emotional isolation and consumer culture.

What Party?

KAWS’WHAT PARTY (2018), a bronze sculpture of his character Chum, is an interpretation of the Michelin Man. In the piece, Chum is slightly bent over, its large form drooping under invisible weight.

The sculpture’s exaggerated cartoonish proportions contrast with its emotional depth. The figure’s crossed-out eyes and head bowed in resignation suggest exhaustion and emotional emptiness, begging the almost-ironic question: What Party? At the Brooklyn Museum it emphasised this contrast, showcasing large sculptures that provoke deep emotional responses.

At Moco Museum London, the display of WHAT PARTY invites viewers to engage with KAWS’ work at a personal introspective level. The piece asks: how much of modern life is performative, and how much is authentic?

KAWS and Pop Culture: A Dialogue with the Masses

KAWS’ art thrives in the intersection of pop culture and contemporary art. His collaborations with acute art have expanded his reach into augmented reality, allowing audiences to experience his works in a virtual space. His partnership with the acute art app provides access to digital kaws artworks in locations like London, Tokyo, Melbourne and New York. His influence extends to institutions like centro de arte contemporaneo and overland park growing contemporary art scene.  

KAWS’ ability to fuse fine art with pop culture has made him a sought-after collaborator for major brands and designers. His work with Uniqlo, Dior, and Supreme has brought his designs to the forefront of global fashion, with limited-edition KAWS collections selling out within minutes of release.

The modern art museum has opened a KAWS shop in London. The shop reflects a crossover between art and fashion. Visitors can purchase KAWS figures, apparel, paintings and art objects because KAWS is an artist that believes art should be accessible to everyone, not just elite collectors.

At Moco Museum London, visitors can experience this dialogue between nostalgia and critique. KAWS’ work reflects both an embrace of popular culture and a subversion of its emotional shallowness. Furthermore, visitors to the Moco Store London have the opportunity to purchase their very own limited edition KAWS collectible.

KAWS in London

In London, KAWS’ presence is felt at Moco London. His Companion sculptures have appeared in major urban spaces, reinforcing KAWS’ philosophy that art should exist in everyday life.

The KAWS exhibition London 2024 at Moco Museum London showcases an in-depth range from small collectible figures to towering sculptures, from early street art pieces to high-fashion collaborations. The exhibition gallery captures the emotional depth and mass appeal that define KAWS’ work.

KAWS’ Legacy

KAWS’ ability to engage with mass culture while maintaining artistic integrity has secured his place as one of the most influential artists of his time. His work reflects a deep understanding of the emotional power of imagery; how familiar symbols can comfort, isolate, and provoke at the same time.

Visit Moco Museum London

Immerse yourself in the KAWS exhibition at Moco Museum London and experience the world of paintings and pop culture icons like never before. Whether through large-scale sculptures or limited-edition toys, KAWS’ work challenges viewers to look beyond the surface and confront the emotional weight beneath. His legacy lies not only in his global reach but in his ability to capture the complexity of the human condition — one “X”-eyed figure at a time.

This is your chance to explore the groundbreaking work of one of the most influential artists of our time.