ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ

Galerie Max Hetzler is pleased to present THERAPY, a solo exhibition of new works by KAWS.

Drawing inspiration from the vast fields of popular culture and art history, KAWS’ artistic lexicon revitalises figuration with big, bold gestures and playful intricacies. His prolific body of work straddles the worlds of fine art and consumer culture to include paintings, murals and sculptures, as well as graphic and product design. In the present exhibition, KAWS’ iconic hybrid cartoon characters populate a series of paintings and one larger-than-life sculpture. At once humorous and empathetic, these characters offer entryways into complex emotions and serve as prime examples of KAWS’ exploration of humanity.

Installed at street level in the gallery space at Bleibtreustraße 15/16, the stainless steel sculpture SPACE, 2023, presents an iteration of KAWS’ COMPANION, the original three-dimensional character first created by the artist as a small vinyl toy in 1999. Characteristically playful yet melancholic, COMPANION is here depicted as a towering space explorer, clad in an astronaut suit and wearing an oxygen tank on its back. Yet, instead of carrying a flag, it covers its eyes with gloved hands, suggesting a state of resignation or perhaps denial. COMPANION’s gloves carry the artist’s iconic ‘XX’, usually employed to stand in for his characters’ eyes. The sculpture’s striking scale enhances its subtle commentary on the human condition – reflecting both our captivation with progress and space exploration, and the deeper implications of leaving Earth behind.