Kaws
I discovered KAWS through his figurines at Perrotin, with the Small Lie series. It wasn’t a large canvas or a monumental installation that first attracted me, but an object that can be sought out, awaited, collected, and discovered in different versions. It immediately brought me back to what I loved as a younger person: following the new releases, waiting for the releases, and enjoying finding a piece that I had been searching for for a long time.
KAWS is today a true icon of urban and contemporary art. His universe has become instantly recognizable, thanks in particular to his character with blind eyes and his numerous collaborations. His work can be found in galleries and museums, as well as in fashion, design, music, and popular culture. He has managed to create a visual language that can flow between all these universes without losing its identity.
What I particularly like about KAWS is the pleasure of the collection. I know the different series and the pieces that have marked his career, but of course I haven’t had the opportunity to present them all in the gallery yet. It is therefore always a real pleasure to receive a work that we had never seen before, to physically discover it, to observe its details and finally to be able to show it to visitors. Even after several years of searching for his works, this pleasure remains intact and gives our selection a constantly vibrant character.
I have a special fondness for The Promise. I really love the softness and emotion that emanate from this work. Behind instantly recognizable characters, KAWS manages to express very universal feelings like tenderness, protection, loneliness, or fragility. It is a work that perfectly shows that his work is not based solely on strong aesthetics or the pleasure of collecting.
I am also very attached to a series of twelve small bronzes that I managed to acquire from a collector. Collecting this set was a real moment of satisfaction. This series perfectly sums up what I love about the collection: the research, the patience, the excitement of acquiring, and finally, the pleasure of seeing all the pieces gathered in the same place.
Over time, we have assembled a particularly important selection of KAWS works in the Galerie Montorgueil. To my knowledge, we are now presenting one of the most important collections offered by a gallery in France. This allows us to show different periods, different characters, different materials, and many variations of colors.
The reaction of visitors is always very strong. Many enter the gallery and are immediately amazed to see so many pieces gathered in the same place. The youngest recognize the characters, stop to take photographs of them, and sometimes discover some sculptures that they had only seen on social media. Parents are often equally receptive to this universe, its aesthetics, and the pleasure of collecting.
That’s also what I love about KAWS: he has managed to cross generations. His work appeals to young people, but also to their parents. It speaks to urban art enthusiasts, figurine collectors, design enthusiasts, and those who are simply discovering his characters for the first time.
With KAWS, I always have the feeling that there is still a work to be included in the gallery, a series to complete, or a piece that we have never had the pleasure of presenting before. Each new arrival becomes a small event. He is an artist who constantly nurtures the desire to collect, and that is undoubtedly what touches me most in his work.
