For more than fifty years the Museum of Modern Art has been commissioning artists to create designs for its annual Christmas Card. Picasso, Joseph Cornell, Andy Warhol, Robert Indiana and Alexander Calder are among the great modern artists whose designs have graced the cards. This year, MoMA has commissioned artist Brian Donnelly, aka KAWS, to design the 2018 Christmas Card.
The design features two of KAWS Companion figures embracing against a red background. Last year MoMA released a limited edition of KAWS’ Companion action figure, which resulted in the MoMA Design Store website crashing due to the unprecedented rush of traffic. Companion was created by KAWS in 1999, became an international sensation and was even made into a float for the 2012 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
In addition to his paintings and murals, KAWS is know for his sculptures, toys, clothing and global collaborations. KAWS repeated motifs resonate with art lovers around the world. His use of the recognizable Snoopy and Snoopy’s friend, Woodstock, has led to a series of vinyl toys based on the cartoon character and his paintings.
KAWS in Seoul
Brian Donnelly has come a long way since his start as a graffiti artist in his childhood home in Jersey City, New Jersey. In 1996 he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York. One of his earliest jobs was working as an illustrator for Disney’s Jumbo Pictures. The influence of cartoon and animation in apparent in his work.
KAWS’ latest work is a 92-foot long inflatable Companion, floating languidly on Seokchon Lake in Seoul, South Korea.
The floating Companion will remain on Seokchon Lake, which is located in South Korea’s capital Songpa district, for one month, and then go on a world tour. Since the start of his career, KAWS work has been shown at Colette in Paris and his sensibility has also garnered a lot of attention in Japan, China and South Korea.
Not far from the floating Companion, KAWS latest work is his XX symbol, lighting up the facade of the 123-foot Lotte World Tower, the tallest building in South Korea.
KAWS Work at Surovek Gallery
Please contact us if you would like more information about KAWS Woodstock or any of the other fine works for sale at the Surovek Gallery.
