National Gallery of Victoria’s latest exhibitions KAWS: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness and KAWS: PLAYTIME are loads of fun!
Brian Donnelly, aka KAWS, is one of the most well-known contemporary artists of his generation.
The NGV’s ground floor galleries showcase all of the different mediums in which he works – paintings, murals, large-scale sculptures, street and public art, fashion, graphic and product design.
Families will be sure to enjoy the paid main exhibition and the accompanying free children’s gallery space.
KAWS’ work is colourful, humorous and combines popular cultural references with his unique motifs.
Kids will be able to spot cartoon characters such as SpongeBob Squarepants, The Smurfs and Snoopy…
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….while adults will recognise many of the advertising posters…
…and instantly be able to match The Beatles’ cover art of Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club with KAWS’ $21 million version featuring ‘The Kimpsons’.
We most enjoy wandering through the larger-than-life sculptures at the end of main exhibition before it leads into a pop up NGV Design Store selling KAWS paraphernalia. There’s no children’s exhibition publication this time, sadly.
KAWS: PLAYTIME is a further experience that welcomes kids and families into KAWS’ world through play.
The space stars KAWS’s friendly character BFF.
You’ll find his blue fur and eyes on the tactile walls, the floor and the furniture….
…..his features in the interactive photobooth where you can create a video portrait to share online…..
….his image on the lovely pop up cards and in the special set of alphabet stickers drawn by KAWS….
….and then you can even draw a friend for BFF!
Young gallery visitors are invited to nestle into cosy nooks, explore and play.
KAWS: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness and KAWS: PLAYTIME introduces audiences to the full range of KAWS’ art, including a specially commissioned giant bronze sculpture in the Federation Court and his collaborations with brands such as Uniqlo that you can find in the NGV Design Store.
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