contemporary art always seem to imitate or reflect what's going on in real life. I need to dump some substance and get me some commerce.
For those in the loop, the Kaws head was originally sculpted by Medicom, and tey wanted to make a 12" RAH doll of him. He said no. When time came around to make the Kaws Kun, the Kun always had inner guts of some sort, so Kaws thought it would be funny to use the previous sculpt of his head as the guts, almost as it the Kun had eaten him. (for those of you that own the figure, that is what is rattling around inside.) This large head is pretty much an identical scale up of that inner head from the Kun. Now, I haven't called Kaws to ask him why he made the heads, but my guess is that he thought it would be a ridiculous thing to do, and once again blurring the lines of art and commerce. It was a toy, then I scaled it up and it was art (chum), now what about the same thing if it was my head? Where does the line get drawn, when it was sort of a toy, but not really? Is the art the commodity, or is it the artist? (granted this second part is all extrapolation on my part, so don't take it as gospel.) That said, the chum looks cool, not sure I need a head though.
Blurring the lines between art and commerce seem to be the direction artists are taking in the present urban art scene. Kaws X Nike, etc... Take Barry Mcgee for example....he takes this same direction when he did collabs, recently with Oakley, and a sneaker maker (not Nike), etc. As with the commerce involving paintings, sculptures, and other medium, there is a very thin line between art practice or just simply 'sell out'.
Maybe some 4 ft. Kaws kuns are on the way (yah I know, unlikely)??! That would be fucking dope, I'd find a way to get one!
i wonder if kaws reads skullbrain from time to time and sees all the trash talkin then he laughs while he carries his wheelbarrows full of money down the street to the bank
koons bust with manly breast & huge nipples disturbing! ...no, very nice bust indeed. few good points about art, but to me they would all apply to kaws. when chum hit the streets in 2001 i was totally blown away. ...so crazy back then. calling shallow "superflat" & it sounds way more interesting. with popart or conceptual art, i think if u like it u will find a lot of substance and if u dont - agree - then there is not much left. for the kaws head/bust. thinking even back then it wasnt a kaws ego thing. maybe mixing it up but think it was a project with several artists involved. werent all the heads that medicom scanned shown in relax or some other mag? too bad they werent released - kaws & lenny 12" next to james be cool.