"Graffiti is like building a career. And there is a dialogue with the other
artists out there mostly fellow writers because a lot of people who don't
paint just see a blur when they look at it."
Long before KAWS became a global icon of contemporary art, Brian Donnelly was a young creative shaped by the visual intensity of the New York metropolitan area. Born on November 4, 1974, in Jersey City, New Jersey, his earliest artistic interests took shape in public space rather than the studio.
KAWS emerged from New York's graffiti scene in the early 1990s, having been introduced to it through skateboarding. During this period, he adopted the four-letter tag "KAWS," selected purely for its visual balance. After settling in New York, he enrolled at the School of Visual Arts, where he initially trained in painting but chose to specialize in illustration, a decision shaped by pragmatic concerns about artistic sustainability. Following his graduation, he worked as a freelance illustrator for studios associated with Disney and later MTV, gaining direct experience with animation techniques and developing a lasting interest in acrylic paint for its matte, opaque qualities.
In the mid-1990s, KAWS began his now-legendary "subvertising" interventions. Removing advertising posters from public spaces such as bus shelters and phone booths, he reworked them in his studio before reinstalling them on the street. These altered advertisements replaced fashion models' faces with his skull-like characters marked by crossed-out eyes, often accompanied by recurring motifs such as the serpentine figure known as Bendy. Works such as Untitled (Calvin Klein) and Christy Turlington Ad Disruption appeared in cities including New York, Paris, London, Berlin, and Tokyo, establishing KAWS's instantly recognizable visual language and earning significant attention from collectors.
A formative moment in his career came in 1997 with his first trip to Japan, where he was deeply influenced by the country's emphasis on precision, craftsmanship, and design. Through his relationship with NIGO®, a central figure in Japanese street culture, KAWS began producing paintings and collaborative projects that further blurred the line between art, fashion, and product design. Around this time, he developed his early canvas works, including The Kimpsons series, a satirical reworking of The Simpsons, alongside reinterpretations of iconic characters such as Mickey Mouse, the Michelin Man, and SpongeBob SquarePants. By overlaying these familiar figures with skeletal features and crossed-out eyes, KAWS subtly transformed symbols of comfort and nostalgia into reflections on alienation and emotional distance.
In the late 1990s, KAWS expanded his practice into three-dimensional form with the release of limited-edition vinyl toys, introducing his most enduring character, Companion. Produced in carefully calibrated editions, these sculptures offered a democratic entry point into his work while establishing a sculptural language that would later evolve into monumental public installations.
KAWS's transition into the fine art gallery system began in 1999 with a solo exhibition at Colette in Paris, followed by major exhibitions from 2008 onward. His work has since been the subject of museum exhibitions at institutions including the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, and the Yuz Museum in Shanghai. His works are held in numerous prominent public and private collections worldwide.
Today, KAWS remains a defining figure in contemporary art, distinguished by his ability to create a universally legible visual language while continually renegotiating the relationship between street culture, mass media, and fine art.