Despite years of circumventing mainstream art circles and rarely showing his work publicly, KAWS has built up a massively dedicated following of collectors who obsessively seek out his creations, from limited edition toys and clothing, to even more elusive original paintings and drawings. After eight years of absence in the U.S and five years since exhibiting internationally, 2008 marked the artists’ return to gallery walls. With three consecutive solo shows in Miami, New York and Los Angeles, KAWS unveiled entirely new bodies of work that signaled a young artist on the verge of his most productive phase to date.

His most recent display is is no exception to this trajectory. On June 27th, the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Connecticut, opened the doors to KAWS’ first solo museum exhibition, providing a retrospective look at his graffiti roots, fine art, and commercial projects, as well as brand new sculptural and installation pieces that stand as his largest and most ambitious to date.

TheArtCollectors spoke with curator Mónica Ramírez-Montagut about the process of creating the landmark exhibition. Read on for the conversation, click images for larger views.

(Image: Aldrich Museum)

Hi, Mónica. Congratulations on such a strong opening reception. Unveiling seven new exhibitions on the same day is quite an undertaking!

Thank you for joining us on such a celebratory day for the Aldrich.

KAWS already maintains such a strong following, from kids who connect to his toys and graphic work, to seasoned blue-chip art collectors. At the same time he’s not a complete household name. Does producing a show that can simultaneously engage first-time, unfamiliar viewers, as well as such a varied and fanatical fan base, factor into developing an exhibition like this?

It is the mission of The Aldrich to advance creative thinking by connecting today’s artists with individuals and communities in unexpected and stimulating ways, and in that context KAWS is a perfect match. The Aldrich is also well known for having given many artists their first museum exhibitions, which means we are used to presenting artists that are not yet “household names.”

KAWS has an incredible body of work, including painting and sculpture, of quality and vision; he was more than ready for a museum solo exhibition. It is important to The Aldrich not only to bring new audiences to the Museum, but also to make them feel welcome so that hopefully they will start considering contemporary art museums as institutions they can visit and enjoy.

With such an eclectic body of both fine art and commercial projects to draw upon from the last 15 or so years, can you talk about the process of selecting work for the very first retrospective look at KAWS?  For example, some things were absent, like the phone booth/bus stop ads that many consider the beginning of KAWS’ recognition by a public audience.

We are showing two phone booth ads, the Calvin Klein ones from 1999 with the skull, x-ed eyes and crossbones. We did want to focus on his new work, since the past work is very well known among his collectors. However, as many visitors will be looking at his work for the first time, we wanted to provide a small peek into his vast output, including design and street art, so as to show the creativity that permeates everything. KAWS has so much work that we could have organized an exhibition four times this size, so we really had to narrow it down to what would give an overall view and also look good.

The exhibition was able to provide a broad survey, drawing almost exclusively from the artist’s own collection. Was there a decision early on not to incorporate works from private collections?  I imagine that could present a whole other set of challenges.

For the artwork (paintings and sculptures), we wanted to show exclusively new work. For design objects, since KAWS keeps copies of everything, we decided to consolidate our loan and have everything come from him. Borrowing objects from all over the world would have been too complicated and wasn’t necessary. We are showing work, like the collaboration with photographer David Sims, that KAWS has retained for himself because it is a unique series; it has never before been exhibited*. That is also the case with some of the ink drawings—he is the only one who owns that type of work.

*Note: The Sims collaborations have never been seen in the U.S. and were only shown once, in 2001 at the KAWS – Tokyo First exhibit, Parco Gallery, Japan.

The show is divided into two rooms with works spanning a multiple of distinct mediums including painting, drawing, large scale sculpture, a site-specific installation, various commercial products, and collaborative projects.  What was the approach and what challenges were there to incorporating all this into the Museum and show?

We wanted to mix the disciplines somewhat, so in the gallery with the paintings and the sculptures we included the prototype toy of Pinocchio, to enter into dialogue with the large-scale work with which it has a lot in common.  In the other room, where we placed more design objects, we included packaged paintings and the David Sims series that are also unique works. We tried to have them be in dialogue, showing what they have in common as opposed to what they do not.

I’m curious about the negotiation between curatorial decisions, the goals of the artist, and the practical matter of dealing with physical space available. How has that factored into this show?

We assigned the gallery space to KAWS hoping he would do a large scale intervention, like a mural or big sculpture. To our surprise he gave us both!  Once we assigned the gallery, KAWS built a scale model. He made a proposal that we discussed, but the overall layout was done by him. On site, during installation, we discussed what would look better where, what would be the first impression of someone walking into the room, if the show was well paced, etc. We did some tweaks during the install—you do have to see the things in the room before you make the final decision.

Prior to your current role, you served as Assistant Curator of Architecture and Design for the Guggenheim. Has your background in these creative fields informed your role as curator of The Aldrich and this particular exhibition?  For example, the newest set of exhibitions includes not only KAWS, but Rackstraw Downes and Fritz Haeg, who uniquely draw upon elements of design and architecture in their art.

Yes, my background as an architect and at the Guggenheim does indeed inform my decisions. What first caught my attention about KAWS and Fritz Haeg is that they do not really find a strict boundary between art, design, and architecture. I feel the same way. I believe all disciplines would benefit from feeding from each other, which would be a more natural and organic way of not only making new work but experiencing it as well. In my mind, it is important is to have a creative vision that is applied to many different disciplines, activities, situations.

I chatted with many fans and art world professionals that traveled from quite far distances to be at The Aldrich, even from across the country and overseas! There was a real sense that people were compelled to be there for the first look and to show their support. For you, what is it that makes KAWS so appealing?

There are several factors that come together in KAWS. His work is well done, perfect in technique, craft, and manufacture. People still appreciate something well done. Also, conceptually his work is intriguing because at first glance it is easy to understand, funny, and encourages an emotional response. On a second look, it turns out to be quite complex, not that funny, but rather bittersweet and extremely cerebral (criticizing consumer culture, while still a participant in it).

Also, KAWS makes a point of reaching out to diverse communities and being accessible; since his work spans many different disciplines, this creates a large base of followers. It is important to mention that he is extremely generous as a person, and incredibly kind. He maintains a childlike sense of humor which identifies with a lot of not-that-young adults. He has an impeccable work ethic—I would say he is a good role model for young people: work on what you like, don’t give up, and work hard. I guess the fans see that as well!

Thanks Monica!

KAWS
June 27 – Jan. 2, 2011
The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum
258 Main Street
Ridgefield, CT 06877
203.438.4519

(All Images: Jeff Newman/TheArtCollectors, except where noted)

By now you’ve most likely heard about the debut of KAWS’ first museum exhibition,  debuting this Sunday at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum. The retrospective will survey the artist’s earlier work, products, and most recent paintings, including some never before seen pieces. While, details have been quite tight, the first image from has finally surfaced, providing a glimpse at KAWS’ largest onsite mural to date. More to come….

A few short weeks after closing the doors to their Deluxx Fluxx Arcade, more news comes in from the FAILE camp. A new print goes on sale tomorrow, June 15 at 12pm EST via PaperMonster. Titled Ecstasy, the silkscreen will be one of the final releases from the Lost in Glimmering Shadows series, based on imagery from FAILE’s 2008 show in London. Keeping true to form, the 12 color signed, stamped and numbered edition of 175 was screened and painted in-house, and measures 25″ x 38″

FAILE have also announced more details on their upcoming contribution to Portugal Arte 10. From July 16  to 15 August 15, the Brooklyn-based artists will display Temple, a full-scale church in ruins, set in Praça dos Restauradores Square in Lisbon.

UPDATE: Here’s the print, released for $775 and sold out  as of 6/15. Note that colors vary due to hand painted elements.

After keeping the art geeks guessing, the official word on former Deitch directors Kathy Grayson and Meghan Coleman’s hit the masses today via the Wall Street Journal. On June 26 The Hole will open its doors at 104 Greene St. with the playfully titled, Not Quite Open for Business. With so much excitement over the shape of things to come, we’re eager to see who the pair have selected for their much-anticipated inaugural group show. So far, WSJ reports future exhibits with Mat Brinkman, Kenny Scharf and Dearraindrop, as well as several side projects including a back-room shop and a dating service for artists.

Our sincere congratulations go out to Ms. Grayson and Ms. Coleman as they take the plunge.

Out with the old, in with the new. After a bit of neglect, I suppose now is as good a time as any for me to pick up on posting again. We’ll see how it goes.

Shepard Fairey and co. have descended on New York City in preparation for the artist’s much talked about upcoming show at the soon-defunct Deitch Projects. Word is Fairey is looking for anyone who can offer up walls, and with an opening reception scheduled for May 1, we expect the Obey crew to have plenty of time to make their presence know.

A temporary Obey Pop Up Shop will be open April 30th – May 16, and promises a full line of items from the clothing label as well as “many surprises not to be missed.”

Check out our images of Fairey working earlier today on the beginnings of this new Houston Street piece (which replaces Os Gemeos’ mural), as well as studio shots (via Obey) of the crew prepping materials for both the gallery exhibit and store.

Shepard Fairey – May Day
May 1 – 29
Deitch Projects
18 Wooster St.
NY, NY 10013

Obey Pop Up
April 30 – May 16
151 Orchard Street
New York, New York 10002

Available Saturday, April 17, noon (EST).

“Son of Electric Illuminati” Silkscreen on gold paper, 18 x 24” ed. of 100.

Signed and numbered by Ron English

$350, free shipping. For sale exclusively on www.popaganda.com

The recently sold Randall School building was purchased from the by the Rubells in partnership with the Telesis real estate firm from the Corcoran School and Museum. The joint venture will see the site developed into a new Rubell museum, a hotel, and private residencies. (Image via)

Famed Miami based collectors Don and Mira Rubell have just announced plans to open up a new museum in Wasington D.C. to showcase their ever expanding collection of contemporary art. The location will serve as a satellite to their Miami museum, and was purchased for $6.5 million from Corcoran College and Gallery of Art in partnership with real estate investment firm, Telesis. Part of the building will also be developed into a hotel and private residences.

This isn’t the Rubell’s first foray into the D.C. area. In 2002, the couple bought the Capitol Skyline Hotel. The seven story building was designed by their friend, architect Morris Lapidus, known for the Fontainebleau Hotel and other Miami Beach properties. Around the same time, they began focusing on D.C. artists. “The reason we even bothered to find a business [in D.C.] is that the art is amazing,” noted Mera Rubell in a December interview with Art in America. “A hotel is a natural place to create a kind of home. I want artists there—it’s exciting for my existence here whenever I’m here.”

(Image: Jenny Yang via Art in America)

The Corcoran is slated to host an exhibition organized by and culled from the Rubell’s collection. 30 Americans focuses on African American artists in the Rubell’s personal collection and was first on view at their private Miami museum in December of 2008.  Last week, Tyler Green’s Modern Art Notes raised concern over the arrangement. Clarifying that works in the exhibit are owned by the Rubell family and not by their foundation, he notes:

“The last line of the Washington Post story on the deal is a classic case of burying the lede: “Officials said the exhibition is not related to the sale.” Really? When an art-museum-and-school is preparing to exhibit a family’s private collection at the same time it is cutting a real estate deal with the owners of that collection (and curator(s) of the show), the arrangement deserves significantly more journalistic examination than a toss-off at the end of a story.”

Spokespersons for the Corcoran affirm the exhibit and property sale are not related. Yet, if the recent hoopla over the New Museum’s upcoming exhibit of museum trustee Dakis Joannou’s personal collection is waranted, perhaps the Rubell’s dealings with the Corcoran are also worth further examination.

The New Museum of New York has just released the details of an already debated exhibition of works from the treasure chest of billionaire collector Dakis Joannou.  Though parts of the collection have previously been on view at Joannou’s own DESTE Foundation in Anthens, as well as in Paris and Vienna, the upcoming New York exhibit has skeptics voicing concerns of nepotism. Critics say the show is an obvious conflict of interest, arguing that Joannou, who is one of the museum’s trustees, could easily see the notoriety and value of his collection catapult.

Titled Skin Fruit, the show, which runs March 3 – June 6, will include 100+ works by 50 international artists, selected from the Joannou Collection by guest curator, Jeff Koons (whose work will also appear in the exhibit). Koons’ very first solo showing with a museum was held at the New Museum in 1980, when his Hoover vacuum cleaner installation was displayed in the windows of their former 5th Ave. location.  The artist has also been heavily supported by Joannou, who owns 40 of Koons works, along with his 2008 yacht commission.

For more thorough investigative journalism regarding the debate over the exhibit, check out the always enlightening Culturegrrl here

The 50 selected artists are as follows:

Paweł Althamer
David Altmejd
Janine Antoni
assume vivid astro focus
Tauba Auerbach
Matthew Barney
Vanessa Beecroft
Ashley Bickerton
John Bock
Mark Bradford
Maurizio Cattelan
Paul Chan
Dan Colen
Nigel Cooke
Roberto Cuoghi
Nathalie Djurberg
Haris Epaminonda
Urs Fischer
Robert Gober
Matt Greene
Mark Grotjahn
Adam Helms
Jenny Holzer
Elliott Hundley
Mike Kelley
Terence Koh
Jeff Koons
Liza Lou
Nate Lowman
Mark Manders
Paul McCarthy
Dave Muller
Takashi Murakami
Tim Noble and Sue Webster
Cady Noland
Chris Ofili
Seth Price
Richard Prince
Charles Ray
Tino Sehgal
Jim Shaw
Cindy Sherman
Kiki Smith
Christiana Soulou
Jannis Varelas
Kara Walker
Gillian Wearing
Andro Wekua
Franz West
Christopher Wool

Paul Kasmin Gallery will unveil a much anticipated show of new paintings by Mark Ryden on April 29, 2010. Pictured above, is Incarnation (#100), one of Ryden’s most recent works. The 6 ft. x 4 ft.  painting was on display at this past December’s Art Basel Miami and sold for a reported $900,000.

Carmichael Gallery has released the November issue of their monthly newspaper The Art Street Journal containing interviews with Dan Witz, Hush and WK Interact. Free subscriptions are available here.