KAWS takes some 'down time' in Atlanta

• High Museum
• KAWS 'Down Time' Acrylic on Canvas

Brooklyn-based visual artist KAWS will exhibit his largest collection of work to date at the High Museum in a show titled DOWN TIME.

KAWS, also known as Brian Donnelly, has made the transition to the fine art world from his beginnings as a graffiti artist in New York City. Donnelly started painting his moniker in and around the walls of NYC and Jersey City during the early 90's and later modifying advertisements on bus stops and phone booths.

Donnelly would incorporate characters like his iconic skull and crossbones character into the original advertisement, then replace the advertisement in its original location. This practice yielded work that would potentially last longer, with authorities less likely to notice a tweaked advertisement as opposed to a tag on a wall. After graduating from art school in the mid 90s, he worked as an animator for Disney, an experience that clearly continues to influence his work to this day.

Donnelly's signature, clean and colorful style garnered interest and press generated from his advertising alterations in cities like Paris, London, Berlin and Tokyo, led Donnelly towards doing design-based work. Donnelly's release of limited edition vinyl toys under the name Original Fake had made him a household name in the art toy collecting community.