Worthy KAWS

It was a couple of days before the scheduled shoot date when I received a concerned phone call from Brian Donnelly, also known as the artist KAWS. He was worried and was possibly going to cancel the session.

I had scouted his space a few days before and met up with him. We got along well. But now we were having an awkward conversation, where he was questioning whether moving ahead at all was wise. It may have been our genuine connection that ironically brought us to this point.

KAWS is something of a paradox. A smart, ambitious artist who made strategic decisions to seemingly align himself perfectly with the zeitgeist, who in person is soft spoken and modest. It was hard to reconcile these two narratives, and at times I would forget that I was dealing with a massively successful artist, and the mastermind of a cultural phenomenon. But my job, simply put, is to somehow square the paradox, unite the man and the persona in one picture.

I had pitched him a few ideas on a previous phone call, such as painting his iconic “X” eyes over his closed eye lids or having him pose on a seamless alongside a few of the miniature companion toys. Perhaps after our conversations on artistic values and integrity this was a blindside. It’s understandable that a media savvy sitter will assume the worst when a prop is introduced, or an overt visual narrative pitched.

Thankfully he heard me when I assured him that he would have the ability to decline any ideas or poses along the way, and I promised him that there would be no crazy surprises (unfortunately!).

At the end of our first day of shooting I was confident that it had gone well but was reassured by the phone call from his assistant, telling me how pleased KAWS with the session.

Top Image: BTS at 280 Park Ave, photo by Hannah Macaluso-Green

Second Image: KAWS with companion, as it ran in the New York Times Magazine.

Bottom Image: KAWS created this dynamic on-set picture of me using the Acute Art app.