Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Nike Air Force 1 “Foamposite”
This past Friday, we showed you a slew of Nike Sportswear tweets in regards to an upcoming Foamposite-themed sneaker. The ongoing tweets have undoubtedly kept the sneaker community on edge as we all impatiently await this mystery sneaker. Well, we finally know what to expect later this year. Nike Sportswear will unleash a Foamposite-inspired Nike Air Force 1 later during the fall of 2010! Or in Nike Sportswear’s words, Foamposite meet AF1, AF1 meet Foamposite.
This Nike Air Force 1 “Foamposite” is sure to garner an abundance of attention considering both the Air Force 1 and the Air Foamposite are two of the most coveted sneakers ever created. However, does the fusing of both of these iconic sneakers excite you or are you tired of the hybrid creations? Supposedly, Nike Sportswear will release at least two colorways of this sneaker during the fall season of 2010 as stated earlier. Share your thoughts on this newly-developed creation in the comment section below! Also, follow Nike Sportswear on Twitter for additional updates.
This Nike Air Force 1 “Foamposite” is sure to garner an abundance of attention considering both the Air Force 1 and the Air Foamposite are two of the most coveted sneakers ever created. However, does the fusing of both of these iconic sneakers excite you or are you tired of the hybrid creations? Supposedly, Nike Sportswear will release at least two colorways of this sneaker during the fall season of 2010 as stated earlier. Share your thoughts on this newly-developed creation in the comment section below! Also, follow Nike Sportswear on Twitter for additional updates.
Air Jordan 1 2K High
A couple of days ago, we previewed the Air Jordan 1 Retro Lineup that Jordan Brand has in store for us this summer and early fall. The majority of those who commented were not too enthused with the three Air Jordan 1 Highs and the two Air Jordan 1 PHAT Lows that will be releasing over the next few months. However, we have spotted a new Air Jordan 1 that is sure garner a lot of attention from you.
The newly-designed Air Jordan 1 2K High simply pays tribute to the four NBA Eastern Conference teams that Michael Jordan battled time and time again throughout his successful career. Last year, Jordan Brand released a four-sneaker Air Jordan 1 PHAT Retro collection that commemorated each team including the Atlanta Hawks, the Detroit Pistons, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics. However, this Air Jordan 1 2K High pays tribute to each team using one sneaker. With that said, multiple panels are covered with the respective team’s color scheme, and the entire upper is overlayed with a bold, triangular stitched design. Minimal Jordan branding is spotted on the heel panel, the tongue and collar area.
The Air Jordan 1 2K High will come in a highly-designed black drawstring back inside a special Jordan box. This limited release can be found exclusively online at Nike’s online store and at Niketown stores.
The newly-designed Air Jordan 1 2K High simply pays tribute to the four NBA Eastern Conference teams that Michael Jordan battled time and time again throughout his successful career. Last year, Jordan Brand released a four-sneaker Air Jordan 1 PHAT Retro collection that commemorated each team including the Atlanta Hawks, the Detroit Pistons, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics. However, this Air Jordan 1 2K High pays tribute to each team using one sneaker. With that said, multiple panels are covered with the respective team’s color scheme, and the entire upper is overlayed with a bold, triangular stitched design. Minimal Jordan branding is spotted on the heel panel, the tongue and collar area.
The Air Jordan 1 2K High will come in a highly-designed black drawstring back inside a special Jordan box. This limited release can be found exclusively online at Nike’s online store and at Niketown stores.
Air Jordan 2 University Blue/Black
The Air Jordan 9 may getting all the love right now, but this Air Jordan 2 deserves its fair share of attention. Having seen this shoe once before from all angles, we can now deliver an official release date: July 31st.
University Blue covers the entire upper of this pair, with tumbled leather appearing on the quarter panel. Black piping breaks up the blue and the midsole is the same hue. The outsole is icy clear and white shows through it. Are these the best 2s we’ve seen this year?
University Blue covers the entire upper of this pair, with tumbled leather appearing on the quarter panel. Black piping breaks up the blue and the midsole is the same hue. The outsole is icy clear and white shows through it. Are these the best 2s we’ve seen this year?
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
Casio G-SHOCK 2010 June Releases
Casio releases a new collection of G-SHOCK watches for the month of June as it includes a strong focus the G-LIDE model. A few different collaboration watches can be seen including the Surfrider Foundation G-LIDE in green/yellow and the LOVE THE SEA AND THE EARTH Riseman in pink. Rounding out the capsule for this month are two G-LIDE models in black/white and black as well as a simple black Gulfman. Available at select retailers throughout the month of June.
Gallery 1950 x OriginalFake T-shirt
OriginalFake’s 4th anniversary has seen the multi-faceted toy and fashion brand procure a number of collaborations within the last few weeks. Next up is a t-shirt with Japanese design-centric brand, Gallery 1950 who’s products span everything from fashion to common household items. The logo-based tee features GNF in an OriginalFake-esque font. The t-shirt will release on Friday, June 4th at OriginalFake Aoyama.
Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Colorful-Leopard Hi
The Chuck Taylor has received hundreds of makeovers since its inception in 1917, but even so, it still manages to retain – each and every time – some sort of semblance of its original self. The shape remains the same and the fact that it’s such a good all-around shoe, consisting of an easily modifiable canvas upper, makes it extremely easy to work with and an obvious choice when choosing to experiment. This particular Chuck Taylor is decorated with a Leopard print in black, beige or a saxe/pink and can be purchased here.
New Era 8-Panel BB Caps
Like many things the Japanese like to borrow from American culture, New Era Japan have taken a cue from one of America’s favourite pastimes with this collection of felt hats. In honour of some of the most storied franchises in baseball, they’ve chosen to release a collection of 8-panel baseball caps adorned with your favourite team’s logo embroidered on the front.
Stussy x BAPE Collection Summer 2010
Stussy and Bape tend to recycle a lot of designs and the same is true for this summer 2010 collection which the two brands have joined forces on. In what appears to be another tribute to the California brands 30th anniversary, BAPE lend their hand in contributing a few t-shirts and mesh caps in their all too familiar camo print. Available at colette.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Kanye West ft. Dwele – Power
“Power,” may be the first single off of Kanye’s upcoming album, “Good Ass Job.” Leave your thoughts on the track below, and damn finally some new Kanye West. Check the full lyrics below.
Kanye West ft. Dwele – Power
Kanye West ft. Dwele – Power
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Kanye Is Finally Spotted After A LONG Time !
Since Kanye West’s MTV Awards gaffe last September when he interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech, he’s basically disappeared. Right before Christmas he made a surprise appearance at his G.O.O.D Music artist Kid Cudi’s show at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, where he declared that he’d be back in the studio at the top of 2010.
So far he’s spent this year the same way he spent the end of 2009: quietly. Usually seen in magazines and spotted walking the streets of New York, L.A., Paris and London, West hasn’t been photographed in months. Kanye hasn’t released a song and only barely hinted at working on his next album while remembering Alexander McQueen on his blog last month. Recently, though, it’s started looking like he’ll release his next album sooner than later. Billboard recently reported that West is currently in his “Diamond Head, Hawaii home and recording studio, putting the final touches on his forthcoming album with guest rappers like Q-Tip, RZA and Pete Rock.” Several websites are reporting that it will be called Good Ass Job. A rep for Kanye says he can’t confirm the album’s release date, title, or status.
So far he’s spent this year the same way he spent the end of 2009: quietly. Usually seen in magazines and spotted walking the streets of New York, L.A., Paris and London, West hasn’t been photographed in months. Kanye hasn’t released a song and only barely hinted at working on his next album while remembering Alexander McQueen on his blog last month. Recently, though, it’s started looking like he’ll release his next album sooner than later. Billboard recently reported that West is currently in his “Diamond Head, Hawaii home and recording studio, putting the final touches on his forthcoming album with guest rappers like Q-Tip, RZA and Pete Rock.” Several websites are reporting that it will be called Good Ass Job. A rep for Kanye says he can’t confirm the album’s release date, title, or status.
SHO - SolODolo video
FINALLY FINISHED !!A project done by SHO for TV production class, it was Written & Directed by him . Song is by Kid Cudi - [Solo Dolo (Nightmare)]. I'm sure he got a Good ass grade for this because he did a good job on it. #Shoutout to SHO . Check it out !! (YPC™) -bdthatbeme
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Nike Air Max 95 “Lime”
Turning 15 gets overshadowed by turning 16, 18 or 21, but it’s kind of a big deal. Latin girls get Quinceañeras, American teens get drivers’ permits and we get a slew of releases of the Nike Air Max 95. In fact, this “Lime” look is set to release within a month to celebrate the AM95’s fifteenth.
Using identical color blocking to the “Neons,” this pair replaces the namesake color with a less-obnoxious color. In fact, these are very similar to the “Mint” 95s that released some two years ago. The standard gradient layering effect is utilized yet again, transitioning from black to white as you move vertically. The Swoosh, Air Max unit and lace hoops are all Lime. Are you feeling this toned down look?
Monday, May 24, 2010
OriginalFake x Lance Armstrong x Oakley 4th Anniversary Frogskins
In a continuation of the OriginalFake 4th anniversary, the latest collaboration item to be unveiled is a limited edition run of Frogskins created in association with Oakley and Lance Armstong. The trademark “XX” motif is replicated over the entirety of the frames which will release only at the OriginalFake Aoyama store in Tokyo on Saturday, May 29th.
NEIGHBORHOOD x A Bathing Ape “BrotherHood” Collection
Following a foreshadowing from A Bathing Ape founder NIGO, the NEIGHBORHOOD and A Bathing Ape 2010 spring/summer “BrotherHood” collection has officially been unveiled. With a history spanning all the way back to 1996, the collection is a representation of the strength, and relations amongst the both Harajuku-based brands. The collection will include both NEIGHBORHOOD and A BATHING APE versions. For the NEIGHBORHOOD capsule presented here, it revolves around a trademark NEIGHBORHOOD aesthetic of dark colors. The initial drop includes jackets, shirts, and footwear. The logo representing the collection is a Yankees-esque graphic combining NEIGHBORHOOD’s ‘N’ with the ‘A’ from A Bathing Ape.
Supreme x Vans: Sk8-Hi Mid & Era
Supreme and Vans team up again to produce another release for the current Spring/Summer season. Supreme will be releasing two new styles of Vans – the Sk8-Hi Mid and the Era. Both styles feature a custom bleached denim upper and the Sk8-Hi Mid will feature suede details. Available in-store and online on May 27th and releasing in Japan on May 29th.
Medicom Toy Mickey Mouse Shoeless Version
Billionaire Boys Club “Miawaiian” Duffel Bag
Following up a couple of drops that featured everything from button-down shirts to pants, graphic tees, and accessories, Billionaire Boys Club continue the brand’s “Miawaiian” theme with this new duffel bag. The classic piece boats a timeless tube design with white contrasting straps/handles and BBC’s signature “Miawaiian” print, a fusion of traditional Hawaiian styling with a hint of Miami flair. The bag is now available through select BBC/Ice Cream accounts.
MASTERPIECE Skull Logo New Era Fitted
Japanese streetwear brand MASTERPIECE drops a new fitted cap from New Era. The design features a skull/cross bone logo on the front, while the back reads: “Guaranteed Fresh*”. The cap comes in four different colorways and can be purchased now through the realmadHECTIC webstore.
M.I.A. Compares Nas & Jay-Z
What do you like about hip-hop today?M.I.A.: I think Kanye is trying to take it into a new realm and he’s sort of putting the artistry back into it and sort of taking it in that direction. I was having a conversation about Jay-Z and Nas and how it was really crazy how they were having this Nas vs. Jay-Z moment 10 years ago and no one really talks about it now.
You clearly haven’t been to complex.com!M.I.A.: Jay became the biggest representation of rap music who’s still alive, started dating Beyoncé—everything was so much bigger and better with Jay-Z. I hope people don’t think that that wins. The fact that Nas didn’t become all this sort of stuff changes people’s perception about the music and the work he achieved in his lifetime. I don’t wanna say Jay-Z sold out, but I just feel like we have to wait another 10 years to see what happens. Jay-Z’s ambition was to become like Frank Sinatra, a household name all over the planet, and own a casino in Vegas and stuff like that. And I think Nas was really sticking to knowledge. I still think the biggest point about hip-hop is in there somewhere, what happens to those two artists.
You clearly haven’t been to complex.com!M.I.A.: Jay became the biggest representation of rap music who’s still alive, started dating Beyoncé—everything was so much bigger and better with Jay-Z. I hope people don’t think that that wins. The fact that Nas didn’t become all this sort of stuff changes people’s perception about the music and the work he achieved in his lifetime. I don’t wanna say Jay-Z sold out, but I just feel like we have to wait another 10 years to see what happens. Jay-Z’s ambition was to become like Frank Sinatra, a household name all over the planet, and own a casino in Vegas and stuff like that. And I think Nas was really sticking to knowledge. I still think the biggest point about hip-hop is in there somewhere, what happens to those two artists.
Full Interview: Complex
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Deuces - Chris Brown feat. Tyga & Kevin McCall (Official Video)
Official Music Video for Deuces by Chris Brown feat. Tyga & Kevin McCall. Download Fan of a Fan now on DatPiff.com!
(c) Riveting Entertainment 2010
Directed by Colin Tilley
Produced by Andrew Listermann
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Air Jordan 9 “Powder Blue” Retro – A Closer Look
Originally previewed last month, we now get a closer look into the upcoming “Powder Blue” Air Jordan 9 retro. Although not exactly the same shade, the kicks still offer up a clean palette as the upper consists of a white leather with university blue and black adding a strong touch of contrast. These are set to drop on May 29th, 2010 and will be available through Jordan Brand accounts, including Primitive.
Stussy x Casio G-SHOCK 30th Anniversary Watch
Continuing its dynamic 30th Anniversary special projects and in following the advice of one of its favorite quotes: “In this great future you can’t forget you past,” Stussy revisits one of its first collaborations with Casio G-SHOCK. First appearing in 1983, Casio’s G-SHOCK watch became a must-have casual, durable digital style with explosive growth in the 1990s. In 1998, Stussy released its collaboration with G-SHOCK, a first for both brands. The latest version of the Stussy x G-SHOCK Classic includes a black resin band with a Stussy “Anniversary Blue” face in a glossy finish. The buckle, buttons, back cover, and metal elements are plated in a blue ion finish. The timepiece comes in a black matte case with a Stussy 30th Anniversary logo embossed interior. It will become available starting June 19th, 2010 via Stussy Chapter stores worldwide. Retail is set at $250 USD.
Nike SB 2010 May Releases
Nike SB welcomes another month of footwear releases as the brand begins distribution of its May 2010 catalog. Arguably one of its strongest months in sometime, May sees new renditions of the Dunk Hi, Classic Hi, P.Rod 2.5, Blazer CS, and the anticipated Eric Koston Dunk Pack. Look for these now via select Nike SB accounts, including Flatspot.
Interview Magazine: KAWS Interview By Tobey Maguire
Interview Magazine has recently updated its online platform to reflect one of its most recent features with artist and multi-medium designer KAWS. Conducted by movie actor Tobey Maguire, KAWS goes on the record about his early days growing up and his eventual move into art, his career in street art and toy design. Excerpts of the interview can be seen below.
TOBEY MAGUIRE: I’m interested in your backstory—how KAWS came to be. So let’s start there.
KAWS: I was born in Jersey City, and I guess that’s probably where it started. When I was young, I tried sports but never really got into them. I played ice hockey because there was a rink up the street from me, but once I grew out of my equipment, my parents were like, “Are you serious about this?” and I said, “Not really.” I think I got into skating and graffiti mostly because they are both solo activities. You can take it where you want to without needing a team to play.
MAGUIRE: Did you have a drawing background? Did you take art classes as a kid?
KAWS: In elementary school I was a bad kid—not bad as in bad behavior but kind of illiterate bad. My fifth grade teacher told my mom, “Maybe he can pursue art?” But really, I had no background. Even in high school, art wasn’t something that occurred to me to pursue. It was just a hobby that I had a heavy leaning toward.
MAGUIRE: So it was more that you were just immersed as a teen in the culture of skating and that led you to art?
KAWS: Definitely. Jersey City is so close to Manhattan. You took the PATH train in for a dollar, so it would only cost $2 for a whole day of skating—from Brooklyn Banks to Tompkins Square Park. I would meet tons of kids from different boroughs, and that parlayed into graffiti. I got mixed into that.
MAGUIRE: Where did the name KAWS come from?
KAWS: There’s no meaning to it. It’s just letters that I liked—K-A-W-S. I felt like they always work and function nicely with each other.
MAGUIRE: It’s provocative, as in “to be the cause of something.” “To cause.” There was none of that type of thinking when you came up with the name?
KAWS: No, I think I went with that name because I felt like it had no connection. Trust me, editors later had a field day with that. In every article it was like “KAWS and effect” or “KAWS célèbre.”
MAGUIRE: But let’s stop and think about that for a second. What is your cause? [KAWS laughs] I mean, at that point in your life, were you thinking about becoming successful, making money, or just sharing your art? What were you doing it for? What was your approach?
KAWS: I didn’t know for a long time. The graf stuff was almost like a sport I fell into and was good at. I woke up wanting to do it and fell asleep thinking about it. When I was in school, my mind would be on painting. I guess that’s the only thing I’ve ever really been focused on. When I started painting on advertisements, it occurred to me that the ad really set the work in a specific time. You could look at a dozen walls and an untrained eye might not be able to distinguish the difference between the ’80s and ’90s. When you paint over ads, it clicks—especially with the phone booths I was doing. There were these Calvin Klein ads of Kate Moss or Christy Turlington. I think that’s when I realized it was more about communication. There was a dialogue to it.
MAGUIRE: A dialogue with other graffiti artists or with a broader audience?
KAWS: Both. It’s strange with graffiti. You put a lot out, but you don’t get that much back because not many people know who’s doing it. You have your peers of about 10 guys who know you are the one painting. Like, this morning, I took my dog out, and I noticed my assistant hit the rooftop across the street on his way out yesterday. He’s a new assistant and has been working for me for about two days, and I saw this tag over there and thought, Fucking god. I recognized his sign.
MAGUIRE: Was that the beginning of a fine-art career?
KAWS: Well, after I took a semester off, I put a portfolio together and went over to SVA to apply. I didn’t know then that they’ll take anyone’s money. Like, if you’re not asking for a scholarship at art school, you can get in pretty easily. I went for illustration. I figured I could get a job doing that and still have my personal work. When I showed a teacher some of my graffiti, I remember he said, “Stop wasting your time. You need to focus.” Obviously, I dropped his class.
MAGUIRE: I remember when I was a kid growing up in L.A., I would see graffiti on a regular basis, and over time, I would get to know the tags of the various artists. They started to have a presence. There was a whole mystery around them: “Who is this guy?” I know you said that you don’t get to communicate with your audience, but if you do it enough and you’re good enough, there is a lot of talk about you. There is an aura about KAWS and who he is.
KAWS: Graffiti is like building a career. And there is a dialogue with the other artists out there—mostly fellow writers because a lot of people who don’t paint just see a blur when they look at it. After I started painting over the advertising, I began to take photos of the final images. When you do graffiti, you leave your work in the street, so I wanted to document it. [KAWS shows Maguire shots of some early work on his computer.] I shot that one at night and came back and shot it again in the day.
MAGUIRE: Is that the Got Milk? campaign?
KAWS: Yeah. That was in ’97. It was right on Houston where West Broadway turns into LaGuardia. I loved doing that spot. I think another reason why the painting worked so well was that in the ’90s, advertisements started to have a much stronger presence. They started doing those full-building billboards down Houston, taking over walls that had been covered in graffiti for years. It became a focal point for me to take back some of those spots.
MAGUIRE: But I like that you are actually working with the advertisement. You aren’t just ignoring it and treating it like a blank canvas. You incorporated it—a forced collaboration. Did you ever get caught by the police when you were doing one?
KAWS: No, not doing graffiti. I once got caught putting up a sticker. I had to do a night in jail—not at Central Booking but at the Sixth Precinct downtown. [laughs] But eventually I got bored painting over ads. I started taking white paper and painting it in, so at night it would almost glow like a giant light box. Remember when Marc Jacobs did that show on Houston and Sixth Avenue [in 2000]? I remember the day before, they were setting up that whole basketball court and I hit both walls there. It was the perfect flood of people. Then I met this photographer, David Sims, who had shot a lot of campaigns I worked over. He invited me to London and had made a lot of prints for me. So I started painting acrylic over actual photos. That led me to doing actual magazine stories. The whole project just started to grow, and I didn’t put any boundaries on it.
MAGUIRE: How did you first get involved with making toys?
KAWS: I was always really into the pop artists and the editions they would make with Gemini G.E.L. I just didn’t think I’d meet anyone who would actually ask me to do a sculpture. But in ’97, I went to Tokyo and started developing a relationship with some guys there—making stuff with different companies. The opportunity came up to make a toy. There was a company called Bounty Hunter that was making some of the first toys that were a little bit different. Before that, my idea of a toy was, like, Kenner or Hasbro. But they were making small runs of 500 toys. As soon as I saw them, I thought, These are like those Gemini editions. It’s just that people’s perception of a toy is different. I had to figure out a way of seeing my work in 3-D. My project opened up. I did rotation drawings, and they came back with a sculpture that I would adjust.
MAGUIRE: Do you see a toy and a sculpture as roughly the same thing?
KAWS: The material and scale are different, that’s all. I’ve been doing bronze sculptures where I auto- body-paint them different colors. Those materials are traditional. They are within the history of fine art. But, in my mind, it’s the same dimensional process. I remember I took the toys to the New Museum to sell them on consignment. And Colette in Paris sold some for me. I took that money and produced my next toy. Then I started my own website in 2002 and sold directly to customers. That gave me enough money so I could continue making toys.
MAGUIRE: You were giving yourself the freedom not to follow the traditional route to a fine-art career but instead chose to cut your own path. Seems bold.
KAWS: I guess my goal has been just to figure out how to get through life making stuff.
MAGUIRE: You have your own store in Tokyo, right?
KAWS: Yes. We have accounts with a lot of different places, but we have one flagship there. I was doing a lot of different projects in Japan in the late ’90s. There was a company called Hectic and then Undercover, which invited me to design a clothing line. And Nigo at A Bathing Ape asked me to do clothes. A lot of friends at the time said to me, “Why are you wasting so much energy in Japan? It’s a throwaway.” They thought of Japan as a place where people could make some quick money without losing credit, very Lost in Translation–style. But when I went, I met these guys around my age who were just killing it. They were working hard and making amazing stuff. To me that was where it was happening. Then it suddenly started creeping into the U.S. I think that had a lot to do with musicians like Pharrell really getting into it and spreading the word.
MAGUIRE: And eventually Pharrell started collecting your work.
KAWS: Yes. That’s through Nigo. Nigo is one of my biggest supporters. The only paintings in his house in Tokyo are mine. Aside from my paintings, what he really collects is Bentleys. He has crazy cars. His house is out of control. Do you know that series of package paintings that I did? That was because I saw that these guys in Japan were collecting toys. I had friends that were spending $3,000 on a Star Wars prototype figure. They weren’t collecting art, they were collecting toys. So I did those package paintings where I mass-produced the packaging around the painting, but the painting itself was done individually. That was my way of bridging the gap between those two worlds. Because I realized that these guys are absolute connoisseurs of the stuff they collect. They can look at a toy and say, “Oh, this is a ’76. It came out in three versions.” It occurred to me that that kind of obsessive collecting isn’t any different than art.
MAGUIRE: How many package paintings did you do the first time around?
KAWS: About 40. Before that I really was just painting over ads. But then when Nigo started giving me commissions, I started doing really different large-scale paintings—like the Kimpsons series.
MAGUIRE: Yes, the Kimpsons. And what do you call the other characters?
KAWS: The Kurfs. Which is Smurfs. I like the Simpsons because they are such an instant read. You could be in a different country and go, “D’oh!” and everybody would know exactly what you’re talking about. I thought that was amazing. It’s also such an American cartoon.
MAGUIRE: What about SpongeBob? Where does he fit in?
KAWS: I started doing SpongeBob paintings for Pharrell. Then I started doing smaller paintings, which got much more abstract. And SpongeBob was something I wanted to do because graphically I love the shapes. But honestly, when I’m painting SpongeBob, I’m not thinking, Oh, I loved this episode. Honestly, I’ve never even watched it.
MAGUIRE: Did you think you’d finally get the attention of the art world?
KAWS: Art is its own peculiar little world. It was only in late 2008 that I really started to focus on a body of work for an actual show. My first one wasat Emmanuel Perrotin in Miami. Then I did a show at Gering & López in New York. And then with Honor Fraser in L.A. in February 2009. I went from no shows to a show every two months. When I did the store, I loved designing the space. So now I really love designing the big show I’m having at the Aldrich.
MAGUIRE: You’ve had a lot of great support. How much of your success has been about sticking to your own vision and how much has it come from certain people saying, “Go ahead, take that step”?
KAWS: I’ve been really lucky to be able to find people who could understand my interests and give it a chance. Years back, when I talked to some people about doing shows, they came in and saw the package paintings and my toys and said, “This is very commercial.” I think they didn’t understand that it’s not like I make these toys for the money. The toys are actually part of the work. It’s what I want to do. No matter how things go in the gallery world, I’m still going to want to make product.
MAGUIRE: Is there an artist who particularly influenced you?
KAWS: I think the pop artists like Oldenburg and [Tom] Wesselmann. Then there were artists like Murakami, who really opened up a lot of doors on acceptance and crossover projects. That made what I was doing a bit easier to translate. And definitely Jeff Koons. I love his work. I appreciate his perfectionist mentality. It’s so over the top.
MAGUIRE: Yes, audacious and beautiful.
KAWS: I did this weird show in 2000 at an uptown gallery, and Koons came and introduced my work to Dakis [Joannou]. Dakis bought two paintings. I was just like, “Holy shit. I made it! This is it!” And then I didn’t show again for eight years.
BESS 2010 Spring/Summer Collection
TRUE x Crooks & Castles: Native Leagues Project Vol. 3
San Francisco Bay Area stronghold True teams up with Crooks & Castles for the third installment of The Native Leagues Project. This release celebrates the annual Bay Bridge Series being played this weekend between the San Francisco Giants & Oakland A’s. The design team at Crooks decided to honor both teams by flipping one of their most iconic images, Medusa into a fan-pleaser, no matter which side of the bay you’re from. The purpose of The Native Leagues Project is to celebrate the rich history of Bay Area sports by partnering TRUE up with some of their top brands to pay tribute to the teams that created this history.
The Native Leagues Project, Vol. 3: Crooks & Castles drops this Friday, May 20th at TRUE SF, TRUE East & online at Trueclothing.net.
The Native Leagues Project, Vol. 3: Crooks & Castles drops this Friday, May 20th at TRUE SF, TRUE East & online at Trueclothing.net.
Shinganist by Usugrow 2010 May New Releases
The Shinganist by Usugrow collection from Upper Playground continues as we see a handful of new releases for May 2010. Shown are four different styles from this latest batch, all taking on the familiar black/white/grey hues and the artwork we’ve come to expect from Japanese artist Usugrow. These new releases can be purchased directly through the Upper Playground webstore.
Nike Pepper Low Wolf Grey/White
Following the black colorway that dropped sometime back, Nike releases this wolf grey/white rendition of its Pepper Low. Clean and simple, the silhouette adds another minimal design to the Nike roster for Summer. The kicks are available now through select Nike retail accounts, including The Darkside Initiative.
The Darkside Initiative
1827 Powell Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
415.837.1909
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