LIO MALCA PRESENTS:
KAWS AT LA NAVE SALINAS
August 12 - October 31, 2015
In August 2015, Lio Malca inaugurates a public exhibition showcasing his private collection of the iconic contemporary artist KAWS.
This exhibition marks the beginning of a new era for La Nave Salinas, an era in which this historic space has truly blossomed into a cultural touchstone in the artistic landscape of the island of Ibiza.
THE EXHIBITION
Paying respect to the history and austerity of La Nave Salinas, the exhibition consists of a series of serigraphs with the title, “No Reply”, and a series of six paintings mounted directly on the stone walls of the gallery space. As a centerpiece, a monumental seven-meter-high sculpture named Clean Slate has been erected in the center of the space.
THE WORKS
Clean Slate is a sculpture inspired by KAWS’ own experiences of fatherhood as seen through his signature cartoon style. Inspired by the birth of his first daughter in 2014, this sculpture signifies a tonal shift from the artist’s typical comic language.
Six acrylic paintings hang on the walls in addition to a series of silkscreens. These compositions are almost abstract, making use of flat, mostly primary colors.
The colorful abstraction of the majority of the works contrasts with two figurative works in black and white starring iconic characters of American media, such as Mickey Mouse, Charlie Brown, and Snoopy.
Opening KAWS
Making of KAWS
THE ARTIST
“When your whole art is based on the lettering you choose, you kinda figure out what ones work together. I just liked the shapes of the k, a, w, s,.”
KAWS
KAWS (United States, 1974) is an iconic contemporary artist and designer born in Jersey City, New Jersey, under the name Brian Donnelly. He became interested in graffiti in elementary school where he spent his time copying local street murals into his notebook. His first artistic influences were the graffiti artists of the 1980s whose work decorated his neighborhood. He later found inspiration in artists such as Gerhard Richter (German, 1932), Claes Oldenburg (Sweden, 1929) and Chuck Close (United States, 1940) who have also had a tremendous influence on his work.
Based in Brooklyn, KAWS is an internationally known artist who has exhibited in museums and galleries around the world. KAWS’work exists within a historical context that began with Pop Art and has settled somewhere between the lines of art and global commerce.