VIEW
中誠2023年秋季拍賣「現代與當代藝術」
KAWS (BRIAN DONNELLY) x UNDERCOVER
1999
36.4 x 25.6 cm (5)
Estimate
TWD 150,000-200,000USD 4,700-6,300
HKD 0-0
Hammer Price
TWD 0USD 0
HKD 0
KAWS (BRIAN DONNELLY) (b. 1974)
Born in the United States in New Jersey, originally named Brian Donnelly. He graduated in 1996 from the School of Visual Arts in New York with a degree in Fine Arts and Illustration. He briefly worked as a freelance cartoonist for Disney and contributed to the production of popular cartoons such as "101 Dalmatians," "Adé's Diary," and "Debbie the Prude." In the late 1990s, KAWS began creating limited-edition toys, igniting a global trend in toy art. In 1991, he started creating street graffiti, and in 1999, KAWS held an art exhibition in Paris while releasing an art book titled "KAWS Exposed." Japanese magazines highly recommended his work. In the same year, KAWS collaborated with realmad HECTIC and Bounty Hunter to release his first Mickey Mouse-inspired figure called "KAWS Companion," which was even exhibited at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York's SoHo district. After gaining fame, KAWS frequently received invitations to hold personal exhibitions in London, New York, Tokyo, and more, continuing his signature "mash-up" style. He also released individual art collections. Recent exhibitions include "CLEAN SLATE: Refreshment Exhibition" (2014, Harbour City Ocean Terminal Deck, Hong Kong), "KAWS: BFF" (2016, Central Embassy, Bangkok, Thailand), "KAWS: Where the End Starts" (2017, Yuz Museum, Shanghai, China), "KAWS: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness" (2019-2020, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia), and "WHAT PARTY" (2021, Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA).
UNDERCOVER Founder JUN TAKAHASHI (b. 1969)
Jun Takahashi was born in Gunma, Japan. He graduated from Bunka Fashion College. In 1990, while still in school, he co-founded the UNDERCOVER brand with a friend. In 1994, the company was officially established. In 2003, during Paris Fashion Week, he caused a sensation, becoming one of Japan's top fashion designers. He was hailed as the heir to Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto, and the U.S. version of "VOGUE" even called him "the coolest person in Japanese fashion, a leader of subculture."
UNDERCOVER's designs are known for their surreal, aesthetic, and eerie qualities. Their concepts are bold and rebellious, connecting music, film, and art culture, and excelling in expressing the brand's spirit with highly subversive ideas. "We make noise, not clothes" is a common slogan for UNDERCOVER, emphasizing their commitment to making a statement in the ever-changing world of fashion. In addition to design, he creates topics and ensures that more people see them, a skill that many brands must learn in today's rapidly changing fashion world.
UNDERCOVER has collaborated with brands such as NIKE, Levi’s, Supreme, and others, and each release has caused buying frenzies. The unique style of Japanese fashion has earned a place in the fashion industry, and Jun Takahashi is undoubtedly one of the biggest contributors to this success.