The Way I See It: Selections from the KAWS Collection
The Way I See It: Selections from the KAWS Collection features more than 350 artworks chosen by KAWS from his vast personal collection of over 3,000 works on paper by some 500 artists. The Way I See It continues The Drawing Center鈥檚 tradition of exhibiting drawings from outstanding public and private collections, and offers an unprecedented glimpse into the artistic inspirations and interests of one of today鈥檚 most popular contemporary artists.
Spanning the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, The Way I See It showcases a diverse range of artists and interprets the term 鈥渄rawing鈥� broadly to include comics, commercial illustrations, and graffiti sketches. The exhibition challenges long-held hierarchies and radically expands our understanding of what constitutes a great work of art. It includes works by Abstract Expressionist Willem de Kooning, self-taught masters such as Mart铆n Ram铆rez, Henry Darger, and Adolf W枚lfli, and comic artists like R. Crumb. The Way I See It also highlights KAWS鈥檚 impressive holdings of works by artists Peter Saul, H.C. Westermann, Helen Rae, and Susan Te Kahurangi King, alongside archives of works underrepresented in the artistic canon, including those of renowned American graffiti writers such as DONDI, SERVE, and FUTURA 2000.
For KAWS, this collection functions as a personal reference library鈥攁 way to study the progression of an artist鈥檚 style, to think abstractly about the marks of a drawing, and to remind himself that there鈥檚 more than one way of making art. Living with other artists鈥� work is 鈥渆nergy, food,鈥� KAWS has said, highlighting the profound impact these works have on his own artistic practice and vision.
Recommended for you
The Way I See It: Selections from the KAWS Collection features more than 350 artworks chosen by KAWS from his vast personal collection of over 3,000 works on paper by some 500 artists. The Way I See It continues The Drawing Center鈥檚 tradition of exhibiting drawings from outstanding public and private collections, and offers an unprecedented glimpse into the artistic inspirations and interests of one of today鈥檚 most popular contemporary artists.
Spanning the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, The Way I See It showcases a diverse range of artists and interprets the term 鈥渄rawing鈥� broadly to include comics, commercial illustrations, and graffiti sketches. The exhibition challenges long-held hierarchies and radically expands our understanding of what constitutes a great work of art. It includes works by Abstract Expressionist Willem de Kooning, self-taught masters such as Mart铆n Ram铆rez, Henry Darger, and Adolf W枚lfli, and comic artists like R. Crumb. The Way I See It also highlights KAWS鈥檚 impressive holdings of works by artists Peter Saul, H.C. Westermann, Helen Rae, and Susan Te Kahurangi King, alongside archives of works underrepresented in the artistic canon, including those of renowned American graffiti writers such as DONDI, SERVE, and FUTURA 2000.
For KAWS, this collection functions as a personal reference library鈥攁 way to study the progression of an artist鈥檚 style, to think abstractly about the marks of a drawing, and to remind himself that there鈥檚 more than one way of making art. Living with other artists鈥� work is 鈥渆nergy, food,鈥� KAWS has said, highlighting the profound impact these works have on his own artistic practice and vision.
Artists on show
- Adolf Wölfli
- Aline Kominsky Crumb
- Ana Benaroya
- Anton van Dalen
- Aurel Schmidt
- Basil Wolverton
- Blade
- Chaz Bojórquez
- CRASH
- Dana Schutz
- David Wojnarowicz
- DAZE
- DONDI
- Ed Ruscha
- Eric Haze
- Erik Parker
- Eugene Von Bruenchenhein
- Futura 2000
- George Condo
- Gladys Nilsson
- Helen Rae
- Henry Darger
- Hilma af Klint
- Horace Clifford Westermann
- Jane Dickson
- Jim Nutt
- Joe Coleman
- Josef Kotzian
- Joyce Pensato
- Judith Linhares
- Julia Chiang
- Julie Curtiss
- Karl Wirsum
- Larissa De Jesus Negrón
- Lee Lozano
- Lee Quinones
- Louis Wain
- Mark Gonzales
- Martha Edelheit
- Martín Ramírez
- Martin Wong
- Matt Leines
- Mike Kelley
- Nicole Appel
- Nicole Eisenman
- Norman Saunders
- Pablo Picasso
- Peter Saul
- PHASE II
- Rammellzee
- Raymond Pettibon
- Rick Griffin
- Robert Crumb
- SERVE
- Simone Johnson
- Susan Te Kahurangi King
- Todd James
- Tomoo Gokita
- Wallace Wood
- Willem de Kooning
- William A. Hall
- Yuichiro Ukaï
Contact details
Related articles
Dance is in vogue this fall, with a pair of major museum shows for choreographers Alvin Ailey and Ralph Lemon.
The Drawing Center in New York City recently opened a monumental exhibition entitled The Way I See It that features over 350 artworks curated by KAWS.
Seeing what an artist sees in another artiss feels like a pivotal insight into the creative process.
Observer caught up with artist Brian Donnelly between 鈥淭ime Off鈥� at the Parrish Art Museum and 鈥淭he Way I See It鈥� at the Drawing Center in SoHo to discuss his recent collaboration with chef Nobu Matsuhisa.
What's on nearby
