Running Chum #2 by KAWS is a bold silkscreen print that features the artist's iconic character, Chum, rendered in a minimalist black-and-white palette. The piece focuses on Chum’s exaggerated features—thick, rounded forms and expressive lines—highlighting the playful, cartoonish nature of the figure. The composition is both abstract and figurative, with Chum’s crossed-out eyes adding a signature touch of dark humor. The stark contrast between black and white amplifies the graphic impact, making this a striking example of KAWS' exploration of pop culture, street art, and contemporary iconography.
KAWS (USA, 1974), born Brian Donnelly, is a contemporary artist and designer celebrated for his cartoon-inspired sculptures, paintings, and collectible toys. Merging street art and pop culture, his iconic 'Companion' figures and bold graphics have reached global audiences, bridging the worlds of fine art, fashion, and commercial design.
Silkscreen Silkscreen is a printmaking method that uses a screen made of silk or other mesh fabric. The screen is treated with a substance that blocks ink in certain areas, allowing ink to pass through only in the desired sections. Each color in the print requires a separate screen.
Running Chum #2 by KAWS is a bold silkscreen print that features the artist's iconic character, Chum, rendered in a minimalist black-and-white palette. The piece focuses on Chum’s exaggerated features—thick, rounded forms and expressive lines—highlighting the playful, cartoonish nature of the figure. The composition is both abstract and figurative, with Chum’s crossed-out eyes adding a signature touch of dark humor. The stark contrast between black and white amplifies the graphic impact, making this a striking example of KAWS' exploration of pop culture, street art, and contemporary iconography.
KAWS (USA, 1974), born Brian Donnelly, is a contemporary artist and designer celebrated for his cartoon-inspired sculptures, paintings, and collectible toys. Merging street art and pop culture, his iconic 'Companion' figures and bold graphics have reached global audiences, bridging the worlds of fine art, fashion, and commercial design.
Born Brian Donnelly but creating under a pseudonym, Kaws is an artist renowned for his acrylic paintings and sculptures that often employ repeated and distinctive graphics while reworking highly recognisable pop culture icons – Companion is one of his most notable sculptures, a large-scale, clown-like and darker take on the universally-recognised Mickey Mouse. Kaws’ early foray into art was through the form of street-graffiti; his trademark ‘x’ symbol, often applied over the hands, eyes and mouths of his characters, sprung from this phase in which Kaws would often replace public advertisements with his own artwork, a technique known as subvertising. Kaws uses a number of different materials throughout his creative processes including wood, aluminium, fiberglass and a steel pontoon inflatable raft; he has also collaborated with numerous companies and artists including Santastic! and John Mayer. (Artist website)
Hard Edge art is a style of abstract painting that became popular in the 1960s. It features areas of color separated by crisp, sharp edges that are painted with geometric precision. The term hard-edge painting was coined by art critic Jules Langsner to describe this approach, which contrasts with the softer, more fluid forms of other abstract styles.