The Evolution of KAWS' Street Art Aesthetic | Brilliant Ideas Ep. 29

[@TheTerrorShredder]

I feel like artists are so humble. it really shows the humanity in there heart

[@KeshiaTimbang]

That's why I became artist

[@michelletorres6881]

I don't think art always has to carry a deep message. You can appreciate art for the style, aesthetic, and design.

[@robertf6409]

Have you experienced any art with a deep message?

[@Dante-uk8pr]

Its really fake ass critics giving made up meaning to art

[@insanedb]

who cares what you think

[@matthewwamsley1370]

I like how he literally said he isn’t trying to convey any message, and then all these art snobs decide to give it some overblown meaning.

[@misjastienen6300]

It's so infuriating, he litteraly said 'I don't like labels like contemporary artist or graffiti artist,...' and not even 5 seconds later the voice over says, 'as a contemporary artist, Kaws,...'

[@Triannosaurus]

Critic: In my opinion the skull and cross bones heads are masks, their hiding the foibles and fallibility that we all have KAWS: I don't really try and impose any certain feeling or reaction. Lmao

[@bluenightgrinner8620]

As soon as I hear "critic" ....I laugh my arse off!

[@maxmckinnon1164]

Art is subjective though? You're allowed to express how art makes you feel..

[@bluenightgrinner8620]

It's the word critic that has a negative aspect to it, that I dont thinks appropriate. Critics are usually those that didn't have the talent or the work ethic or both. Of course everyone can have an opinion and they're entitled to it. I agree. Arts a personal thing.

[@iunderyourbed96]

Fuck u stupid hipsters

[@robertf6409]

>their

[@DUMBOYCASTLE]

I hate when art critics think they know ecactly what they're talking about cause they've been around gallery's. It's even worst when they praise an artist they try soo hard to make complicated.

[@Yeshayshu]

Helga Pavlov thick sense of pretention in modern art it's a shame really

[@oleskovgaard7529]

Helga Pavlov ææ

[@stevenschuster]

True dat!

[@SOTEP]

Helga Pavlov I'm so glad you said it that blonde bitch was cringe af

[@traplordtheII]

PREACH!!

[@moCusto]

When a dude just wants to do cool looking graffiti and somehow finds himself in the art scene where wannabe intellectuals try to find some deeper meaning...

[@robertf6409]

Name a real intellectual

[@moCusto]

@@robertf6409 Noam Chomsky, Slavoj Zizek, Sam Harris, Amartya Sen, Steven Pinker, Yuval Noah Harari, Hannah Arendt and so on and so on ;)

[@ppoo2772]

they're not wannabe intellectuals they just articulating what everyone already feels, that just what the language sounds like corny as it is NO ONE in this video is acting like it's exclusive

[@marcbaxter5996]

Banksy watching this laughing his ass off...

[@micharel937]

Marc Baxter Absolutely

[@ehmmmjay9907]

Back in the 90s when me and my friends would see his tags around NYC, we pronounced his name like K-AWS (chaos), so I still pronounce it like that.

[@omeemodesigns215]

I mean I like KAWS , I think his art looks cool but for all that deep meaning bs the critics were spitting out, nah.

[@kaileyhladkyjohnson3158]

On the other hand, you can tell that his art is well informed, which I think the critics were recognizing.

[@tenderonies9251]

It does have deep meaning

[@mortomusic8072]

Why would he be in the video and approve his brand to be the topic of content without knowing they would analyze it like this

[@nforc3r]

when that lady was talking about his early graffiti and how amazing and top class it was i had to pause and come to the comments to see if i was the only one who found her pretentious. luckily this was the first comment i saw!

[@TempleOfTheMartyrs]

people like to put meaning just to look like they know what they are talking about... simple

[@christopheredwards4012]

the woman from yorkshire sculpture park is literally just repeating 'he is very good at painting... the painting... it's good' over and over in different words

[@nforc3r]

when that lady was talking about his early graffiti and how amazing and top class it was i had to pause and come to the comments to see if i was the only one who found her pretentious. luckily this was 1 of the first comments i saw!

[@runyoursneakers1292]

Guy is extremely talented with symmetry and lining.

[@menace3507]

That british lady really pissed me off. Philosophical blah blah blah powerful characters, blissful mysticism, flowing colors... then it cuts to Kaws and he's just like "Ya. I liked to draw and then I wanted to make toys."

[@robertf6409]

Why do you think it makes you so mad?

[@willbernd5213]

I came across his work in the mid 90's in his graffiti period and honestly there were a ton of graffiti artists better than him so its funny to hear that critic talking about how he stood out as one of the best. In graffiti where style is king, out of all of his "kaws" pieces along with the ones shown on here, his letters dont really differ much. I'm not saying he isnt good but it was his skull logo that he just started slapping on everything he could think of that really gained him his popularity. His toys also helped. Haze was another really cool artist that was similar in ways and I thought would have been even better known. I'm really happy to see graffiti and or street artists get a little credit in the upity art world. Its the art people walk by and see eveyday that really has an effect on the world. The best art in the world may sit in museums that a small amount of people actually ever visit, or it might be on the side of a small local business getting seen by hundreds of thousands of people everyday they walk or drive down that street. Which of the two stands a better chance to make people think, influence new artists and bring change to the world? Anyway sorry to rant, from one of the 14 year old future artists in 1997 that came across these great graffiti artists, thank you for paving and showing us a way to actually make a good living doing what we love to do.

[@diggindan1498]

Excactly! He's no Dondi ( RIP ) or Seen

[@Dante-uk8pr]

Marketing and products. Love Kaws but anything can become mainstream and popular through great business

[@MarniMoon11.11]

I totally agree with you.

[@BiltsOne]

I've seen his career evolve like crazy. Amazing!

[@lobofournierpapa5514]

A true legend when it comes to street art.

[@mold3192]

That boi Lev Levarek got that BAPE tho 😳👌🔥

[@robertf6409]

A bathing ape? 🐵

[@TexKimball]

Damn I never knew people were so salty about KAWS. I always really liked his style and his ability to translate his work across lots of mediums.

[@drexia01]

Using the same brand motif over and over isn’t ‘translating’ it’s simple repetition. No irony, no critique, simply do the same vacuous moronic stratergy as Mac Donald’s or Coco Cola ad infinity.

[@gwendaldeb892]

+ he litteraly copy a lot of other artist's work adding just a little thing. that's pretty shitty in my opinion haha.

[@micharel937]

Gwendal Deb Right? People will spend a few thousands on a spongebob punting by him with the unique addition of two crosses on its eyes. Like if you’re someone who’s trying to idk find their style and they’re want to modify something else I guess it’s ok. But he’s been around for quite a few years he could do better.

[@gwendaldeb892]

@@micharel937 yeah , i mean it's not original or anything. He just repeat the same thing over and over

[@user-ff8ww8bq9q]

I'll speak to my own experience: im a painter and I don't know any other urban artists who are into his work here in Melbourne. When his work had a major tour a few months back, it was mostly young students taking selfies who attended...His work is mediocre and uninspiring.

[@RetroExhibitCollective]

I think he just got lucky drawing cartoons. Can't deny that's what his art mostly is

[@bluekitsune3008]

its call pop art

[@RetroExhibitCollective]

Mario Darth I know that but when bringing it down to a simple base its catroon

[@Yeshayshu]

Victor dARKO he's certainly talented though

[@kaileyhladkyjohnson3158]

Yes, they are cartoons, but it said early on in the film that he had a wide variety of technical skills and eventually decided to focus on these characters.

[@elsagrace3893]

Kailey Hladky Johnson I noticed that zero of his early work was shown. We have no evidence that he was accomplished at anything.

[@ThatAmbientGuy]

I love his style. It’s like Disney cartoons but with a dark vibe to it. Super cool.

[@rickysencion4609]

Watching this today, after 11 years of working on the streets with my series SHEƎP, I can see this happening. I can see my characters providing the same sense of joy... if only I had the right peep take a look at the world I've been creating.

[@quasar6539]

Beautiful

[@xiaoyuquan8003]

His characters r def lit. Doesn’t matter it has deep meaning or simply looking cool. No art is meaningless. It always represent artists themselves at least. However, as a fan, what really disappointed me is he didn’t create anything else new stuff since these classic pieces were displayed for ages. Artist is all about creation. I’m so keen to see Brian make new stuff with Kaws’ style to keep up refreshing us. :)

[@gunscotthdgaming69420]

Uniqlo:So how many x's will be put on our shirts? Kaws: *Yes!*

[@Simplesimple123]

did that guy really just say that we don't get the ecstasy of colour from nature, so we depend on it from art????? nature is full of colour, its intense with colour. landscapes and animal world

[@SebastianTinajero]

Some of my favorite bit artist are James Jean, Kim Jung Gi , Mark Ryden , those are some of my favorite huge artist there’s so many underrated artist tho that I follow that deserve more recognition

[@UniquaIsTheName]

I actually really like his art and sculptures, I find a huge meaning into this, idk why people are bashing him tbh

[@ergnoor3551]

You can be an artist with no conscious intention but when Bloomberg covers your project you got to understand they've got their own interest. Modern graffiti is usually a visual protest against consumerism, lack of sense in society, public blindness - not very funny from the establishment's point of view. The fact that Bloomberg is covering it means (for me personally) they are trying to powder our brains, introducing non-existent complex meanings into his work, and as a result - learning how to manage the protest art. the benefit is obvious. Ask Mr.Chomsky.

[@jayval4904]

Keith hearing poster in his room when he was a kid

[@RutherfordBcrazy]

While saying he didn't know of artists growing up...

[@vinniegiles374]

HARING

[@scarcell1]

All the critics are so heavy handed in their "take" on Kaws, way too heady for the essence. Simplicity rules throughout his work and these cats are having a hard time wrapping him up in their standard vocab lol

[@robertf6409]

Try to wrap it up in your vocab

[@mr.enigma4475]

Respect to Kaws and all, but this was unbearably pretentious. It's not that deep.

[@robertf6409]

Name art that is deep

[@emiliopalafox3825]

Ro F is this all you do, find comments you don’t agree with and challenge them?

[@emiliopalafox3825]

Ro F there is a lot of art that has strong conceptual depth, for example Teeter-Totter Wall, the seesaw that was put in place in the border wall between the US and Mexico. Although it appears to be nothing more than a pink seesaw, there is a strong message behind it. This being that although there is a wall separating people, and keeping them away because of where they come from, we are still one race. The seesaw represents unity.

[@emiliopalafox3825]

Ro F and there is soo much more, no if you want to continue replying on other people’s comments, you should consider thinking your comments through

[@micharel937]

IEmilio PalafoxI Yeah but whatever Kaws makes which is undoubtedly really aesthetically pleasing it doesn’t have that deep of a meaning.

[@shirnell1]

I need to get my hands on one of these! BTS really know how to expand your mind when it comes to artistry. Glad I came here to learn more and discover a new form or art. Thank you BTS ands KAWS.

[@alejandrocalle5326]

Great piece. 👍

[@Skiet293]

Love this

[@henrybogle8437]

Fact that KAWS vid gets 40K+ views vs. genius Wilhelm Sasnal only gets 5K tells you a lot about contemporary art.

[@TexKimball]

"My subjective favorite artist is not as popular as a completely different artist, that means there's something wrong with the world"

[@MaxamillianStudio]

I've always loved his work. It was great learn more about his beginning.

[@frimpongoduro9263]

Amazing

[@gabo42013]

How do these artists not face any legal issues when using famous cartoon characters in their art? I love his work but I know he is not the only artist to implement other people's art characters in his work

[@britwhit5171]

You know I was curious about that too! All these well known Characters he's using. Maybe they get residuals of the ones he use?

[@skeezix8156]

Gerson Santiago I looked into this also, he did get a license from the brands like Disney and Lucasfilms. To slap X X on a character is just lame.

[@micharel937]

Skeezix And then it sells for like $1000 when he just slaps $20 worth of paint or whatever

[@NeekBCoolin]

i was wondering the same, i see Mickey mouse & the Michelin man

[@eubertlennardtorreliza9010]

it is under parody and fair use

[@BazookaBliss]

Your understanding nor approval are needed

[@ethanh8791]

@ 2:03 nice Pushead collection displayed!

[@studiogirabaldi]

Didn't know his name ,but I know that toy

[@felipequintana6398]

I think of myself as an aspiring artist, and my dream is to be like KAWS. I have drawn a lot of inspiration from KAWs, but with my own touches here and there. I don't want to straight up steel his art style. I really want to be fresh and original, but that is really hard. I am still an amateur artist, and I have a long way to go. KAWS has been an inspiration for me ever since my friend showed me him on Instagram a few weeks back.

[@nforc3r]

where can we see your work?

[@lollypopjo1]

Toy Tokyo is seriously a mecca for any other toy nuts out there

[@beatrizleda7591]

RM and JH love this

[@gusguslvr]

Beatriz Leda lmao thats how i was introduced to kaws

[@michaelbirdsong196]

true king! original .

[@StephenBeale]

"I didn't know of artists" with a photo of him as a kid with a Keith Haring poster on his wall?

[@samfraulino]

along with copying Keith Haring by creating public art, Keith did the subway chalk drawings on the empty ad boards in the early 80s

[@SwikeOne]

17:50

[@robbscott4]

Thanks

[@ElmwoodParkHulk]

It's like anything else , if you can get certain people to buy into something then others buy into it ....Currency is printed art/ numbers on paper and we use it because it has perceived worth yet it's just paper and ink . Art can be used as currency as well which has perceived worth initially by a few because they say it has worth and from there others are told it has worth and then others believe it as well . In countries that have hyperinflation the currency becomes worthless yet it's the same ink and paper . If you get enough of the right people in the art world to say your art is worth something they promote it and others buy into that perceived worth .

[@rjnuzzi1648]

The best of the new crop of famous artists since the 80's... He, Jeff Koons, & Murakami are "it"...

[@JoRiver11]

Koons sucks. 90% business, and about 10% creativity

[@NoMe-Arts]

'Nothing that Kaws does is ordinary...' - except everything he does is stolen from ordinary things...

[@Madqapsart]

What material is he using at 7:14 does anyone know?

[@SkywhiteChannel]

Is this a prank video? There’s nothing in terms of social commentary in “this artists” work. He just creates what looks cool to him. For others to pull out such deep meaning out of nothing is laughable.

[@micharel937]

_ MEZZI _ well lets just say that because he’s hyped you like his “art”

[@reactibird4863]

Kaws is still dope.

[@JokeNeyrinck]

My inspiration

[@gracefu1161]

I realized KAWs is originally just a painting that became a toy, but nowadays it not only a toy. It can carry more things than a single toy. It carries people's WANTAGE somehow, the toy is just a format brings things out of people's mind and shows the designer's thoughts.

[@michaelmecham3477]

the x on the hands is probably misinterpreted, I would say its more of a stigmata thing

[@ionashc6267]

18:33 "Oh, contemporary artist! I always feel like these labels aren't necessary. 18:51 "MaJoR CoNtEmPoRaRy ArTiSt"

[@omokok1877]

Ha

[@Triannosaurus]

How dope would it be to have an original Ad poster KAWS painted over in the day?

[@robertf6409]

Was thinking that

[@simplyxian9186]

Usually this used to be my favorite

[@mrsopadotun]

Do you have iron patches

[@Nerdsplayingcards]

NAGR1 baby! 206 Seattle baby!

[@satchelyork]

Why this dude's work was elevated beyond your garden variety illustrations i dont know. Industry creation you ask me

[@krissygaming5818]

Does anyone know the meaning behind his art, like what does it symbolise with the x’s on the eyes etc. or does it have no meaning?

[@paintslinger4444]

30,000 bones for something that critics make deeper than it really is....jesus..even brian said it's not that deep

[@xcvxcvcxvxvcq]

“Psychology on the molecular level” lol I love that Asian guy he’s so genuinely passionate

[@artistdq]

cool

[@jesusgarcia-cc7od]

Ron English Rules!!!!!!

[@DkaeRisk]

Stay Street Keep it Real Underground

[@Rhys-pc8up]

they should make some of the gloves on the figures that you can wear

[@begs100]

Made the dopest js on earth

[@wanderingsoul1500]

Chinese people are now in chaos buying shirts from Uniqlo with his work of art on it,apparently the shirts with his art on it are sold on big bucks online

[@jt______]

The irony of kaws making toys

[@rayzrblayd]

It boggles the mind how a few simple concepts repeated can make someone famous & successful. It happens often though, so shouldn't be surprising. Just like any pop media. This guy isn't an artist. Real artists have tons of ideas. More like a street cartoonist tbh, but even they have variety. I don't even see aesthetic qualities in his work.

[@nforc3r]

novel ideas that are striking and command attention familiar but alien at the same time. thats what makes his work widely coveted. its 2019 craftsmanship is not the pinnacle of art anymore. if everyone can learn to paint like Rembrandt whats special or creative about that its the ideas that take on new shapes that matter, he can hire and collaborate with 100 craftspeople to do the same job but only he have this unique idea and vision, alone he can create something small but together they can create phenomenal sculptures and exhibitions through collaboration. No one cares about painting realistic da vincis anymore this isnt the 1800s we have photoshop and digital skills to replicate it in a heart beat. so whats novel now and piques the interest of a globally connceted generation.

[@Fotosynthesis858]

Is he that Em&Em guy? Slim Sadie or whatever? The rapper?

[@officialramennoodle4119]

I wanna see a kaws cartoon

[@anthonyphung1578]

kaws lit

[@alanahutchings5924]

I love KAWS

[@gitoyatyndale4639]

I put that blue one out there

[@TempleOfTheMartyrs]

people like to put meaning to meaningless ART just to look like they know what they are talking about... simple

[@22sam6]

Is this still in yorkshire??

[@lollypopjo1]

Nope

[@richiedressler8552]

They put Kaws in the same category as Rembrandt and Angelo 💀🤦

[@sadville13]

:'D what a joke.

[@Kingeos0]

beatmetodeath he’s better lol get over it

[@sadville13]

@@Kingeos0 :'D He puts crosses over the top of other peoples artwork.

[@some_1214]

19:24 Wowie, that thing sure is big. You wanna climb it or something?

[@Trezlez]

8:17 the definition of reading into it too much

[@bosco9291]

Kaws did something real when he created the character and put it in unexpected situations, he changed something, but now all this repetition is just a gimmick.

[@jcm8009]

Academic art critics drive me to drink I need a 40oz vodka tonic Luv Kaws

[@londontown3381]

This guy is a legend.. shout out SWIZZ BEATS.. I came across this guy through him.. 2 legends.. incredible people

[@bigben1986]

LondonTown bullshit legends

[@rickimadrid573]

I wonder when jaws will come out with something original

[@BlakJetTek]

10:35 is scary

[@jintat87]

It's amazing how a mickey mouse with balls ear mask can get so famous

[@yeewahevachui]

I dont hv special feelings about his work. Just here trying to work out why ppl like his figures.

[@pepepepito3960]

si este artista fuera un personaje creado en un videojuego diría que tiene 100 puntos de inteligencia, 1 punto de mana y 100 puntos de suerte.

[@lluhu]

Walt Disney (de)generation

[@josephgaribaldi4340]

Cut the crap! It's simplistic ideas given a surface of credence by the professional handywork of talented craftspeople!

[@nforc3r]

novel ideas that are striking and command attention familiar but alien at the same time. thats what makes his work widely coveted. its 2019 craftsmanship is not the pinnacle of art anymore. if everyone can learn to paint like Rembrandt whats special or creative about that its the ideas that take on new shapes that matter, he can hire and collaborate with 100 craftspeople to do the same job but only he have this unique idea and vision, alone he can create something small but together they can create phenomenal sculptures and exhibitions through collaboration. No one cares about painting realistic da vincis anymore this isnt the 1800s we have photoshop and digital skills to replicate it in a heart beat. so whats novel now and piques the interest of a globally connceted generation.

[@ramazanyuce3708]

its not art anymore its just about business and capitalism

[@kasper5688]

Art is cool until it becomes popular.

[@nforc3r]

novel ideas that are striking and command attention familiar but alien at the same time. thats what makes his work widely coveted. its 2019 craftsmanship is not the pinnacle of art anymore. if everyone can learn to paint like Rembrandt whats special or creative about that its the ideas that take on new shapes that matter, he can hire and collaborate with 100 craftspeople to do the same job but only he have this unique idea and vision, alone he can create something small but together they can create phenomenal sculptures and exhibitions through collaboration. No one cares about painting realistic da vincis anymore this isnt the 1800s we have photoshop and digital skills to replicate it in a heart beat. so whats novel now and piques the interest of a globally connceted generation.

[@ronthemogul]

who is the dude in the yellow jacket?

[@mikevanderheiden]

nice commercial

[@holeymattress8128]

She say he "was one of the best graffiti artists" in NYC in the 1990's? Rubbish. He hardly even ranked. The real talent in TWK crew was Aloe and Shark, everyone knows that.

[@FantasticFox001]

Charles Klossner who was asking?

[@NR-gp2il]

Kaws makes.dolls

[@gentlegoat6663]

Bendy is now just a soulless imagery multiplied through different medium to generate massive revenue. A bubble that'll eventually inflate itself to explosion when the public gets tired of showing off their involvement with it through social media. The art collectors are just opportunists feeding off of the trend.

[@roberttorres4893]

I’ve never see any other artist get this much media, or hype, publicity and acclaim. Yes he is awesome and I love the concept but I doesn’t feel natural progress in art world and make me feel this a marketing strategy for a toy. What makes it valuable is the popularity and limited drops, exclusivities and I don’t think it was a natural progression because it was multiple continents we see this happening more and more like supreme, its the strategy they used to sell making it desirable. If these were on a shelf at Walmart,it wouldn’t become what is .

[@solaidosolai523]

J'ai l'impression en regardant cette vidéo qu'il a vendu son art au profit de la publicité, de la télévision. Je trouve qu'il a perdu ce point de vue critique du début lorsqu'il modifiait les publicités... Maintenant son art est copié à l'infini pour servir de jouet..

[@benjaminmirt5029]

"Its not an adventure just to be a studio artist but its a huge adventure to be a street artist or a grafity artist, because you go out at night, your breaking the law" Yeah i can see how thats true for a teenager...

[@Jakeurb8ty82]

I no longer feel bad about being 37 and still wearing my upper playground jacket...