Ups and Downs 3
Ups and Downs 3
Signed Print
KAWS
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88 x 57cm, Edition of 100, Screenprint
Medium: Screenprint
Edition size: 100
Year: 2013
Size: H 88cm x W 57cm
Signed: Yes
Format: Signed Print
Last Auction: September 2022
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Meaning & Analysis
This signed screen print in colours on Saunders Waterford High White paper was made by the ground-breaking American artist and designer, KAWS. Coming in an edition size of 100, the print depicts a pair of wide cartoon-style eyes rendered in two different tones of purple. KAWS adds his signature crosses to the eyes, a trademark feature of his visual language. An open mouth is also visible, which showcases a set of multi-coloured teeth.
Ups And Downs 3 is a signed screen print in colours on Saunders Waterford High White paper made by the ground-breaking American artist and designer, KAWS. The print depicts a pair of wide cartoon-style eyes rendered in two different tones of purple. KAWS adds his signature crosses to the eyes, a trademark feature of his visual language. While one eye can be seen in its entirety, with a blue cross obscuring the eye’s red pupil, the other eye is cropped due to the close-up angle of the composition. An open mouth is also visible, which showcases a set of multi-coloured teeth.
The large eyes and gaping mouth bring surrealist qualities to the print and the entire collection is permeated by abstract and surreal visual elements. The print is one of ten silkscreen prints that compose the Ups and Downs collection, made by KAWS in 2013 to mark the opening of his exhibition at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas. Each print in the collection is rendered in bright colours and captures a close-up portion of a cartoon character’s face.
KAWS’ visual style, as evidenced in this collection of prints, is identifiable by his experimentation with bold colours, his use of thick, gestural lines, as well as his incorporation of a set of distinct graphic shapes, such as crossed out eyes.
American-born artist, KAWS, is renowned for his cartoon figures, prints and 'subvertisements'. Born in 1974 to the burgeoning New York graffiti and street art scene, KAWS has successfully combined fine art and pop culture to create his own lane in the urban art world. His distinct aesthetic, characterised by playful figures and a subversive take on pop culture icons, has earned him acclaim in both the art and mainstream realms. Most notable is his Companion figure which has achieved global critical and commercial success, and has formed collaborations with the likes of Nike and Dior Homme.
