Latest news with #Kaws
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Who's got the next Labubu? Hong Kong creators eye a slice of ‘goods economy' pie
As an avid collector of modern and contemporary art, Hong Kong fintech millionaire Kenneth's latest splurge is a whimsical luxury watch with a HK$2 million (US$242,000) price tag. Advertisement The limited edition timepiece by Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet features Companion, the toy character with a skull, crossbones and gloves by American Brian Donnelly, better known as Kaws. The artist and designer first turned his Companion character into toys in 1999, selling out immediately. It is now one of the most valuable intellectual property (IP) products globally. Kenneth's love for Kaws has seen him spending more than HK$3.2 million on about 40 toys over the years, including two 1.2-metre (four-foot) Companion figures, a dozen smaller figurines and his most recent acquisition, the watch. Only 250 Kaws watches were made. Kenneth's superfan status landed him an invitation to the launch party in Switzerland last November. Advertisement His other favourite artist in the IP 'goods economy' is Hong Kong sculptor Michael Lau Kin-man, who started making figurines in the 1990s with elements of street culture and is often regarded as the 'godfather' of designer toys in the city. 'They aren't just creating objects, they're telling bold stories and challenging the norm,' he said. Kenneth, who is in his forties and asked to be identified by his first name only, started his online payment business in the late 1990s.
Time Out
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Secret's out: Kaws: Holiday Thailand stops at Sanam Luang
Ever since news dropped in March that Kaws: Holiday was heading to Bangkok, fans have been buzzing with one big question – where in the Big Mango would it land? Now the mystery's solved, as the giant sculpture will take over Sanam Luang from May 13 to 25, with free entry for all. For its stop in the capital, American artist Brian Donnelly or Kaws brings his beloved character, COMPANION: an 18-metre-tall sculpture. Sitting on Earth and gently holding the Moon, this giant installation has a smaller version resting in its lap. The artwork is all about passing down wisdom, care and values from one generation to the next, showing the strong connection between past, present and future. Located next to the Grand Palace, Sanam Luang is a place filled with deep cultural meaning for Thailand. With roots in the ancient Mandala belief, the grounds are seen as the centre of the universe – a spot where the celestial and earthly worlds meet. Much like its surroundings, COMPANION – sitting on Earth and cradling the Moon – showcases the harmony between these realms. It's a reflection of how everything is interconnected, just like the wisdom passed down through generations. Before the exhibition, the sculpture was set up in a few remote spots for final checks and everything went perfectly. Now, it's all set to invite everyone to pause, slow down and fully soak in the experience.
South China Morning Post
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
How Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour doubles as a floating art gallery
The city's premier art space draws millions with its large-scale installations by artists like Kaws in a space bigger than the M+ museum There's one venue that has revolutionised the way art is consumed in Hong Kong over the past decade or so. It isn't the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, home to Art Basel; neither is it M+, the undoubted quality of the art museum's extensive collection notwithstanding, and nor is it any of the city's many clusters of private galleries. Instead, one of the venues most responsible for popularising art in the city is one that many of its residents walk past, gaze at or cross over every day, and might not immediately think of as an art space: Victoria Harbour. In recent years, the waterway that defines the city has hosted a series of head-turning, agenda-setting artworks. The die was cast in 2013, with the pioneering visit of Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman's Rubber Duck, a 16.5-metre-high replica of the classic bath toy that won the city's hearts; the duck returned to the harbour a decade later accompanied by a friend. The KAWS: HOLIDAY sculptural piece at Victoria Harbour. Photo: Felix Wong Then, in 2019, a 37.5-metre-long, inflatable incarnation of US art celeb Kaws' mouse-like character sprawled across the harbour. Rather more enigmatic were the harbour's 2024 visitors – a collection of glowing ovoids that spilled into it from neighbouring Tamar Park, and Japanese hi-tech art collective teamLab's 'Resonating Life Which Continues to Stand' exhibition, part of the Art@Harbour initiative from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), which kicked off in 2022. Then, in December 2024, the skies above the harbour were lit up by the city's first pyrotechnic drone show, as part of Hong Kong's ubiquitous recent descent into panda-related delirium. It's fairly obvious why any artist would like the harbour as a backdrop for their work: it's one of the world's most iconic scenes. It has the advantage of being able to both frame and become part of any work that's floated on its waters. 'Rather than serving merely as a backdrop for artworks, the harbour itself becomes part of the installations,' says a spokesperson for the LCSD. 'The expansive views and reflective waters enhance the visual impact, facilitating visitors to experience art in a context that is both inspiring and immersive.' Two giant inflatable giant pandas on the waterfront opposite the Tsim Sha Tsui Cultural Centre. Photo: Edmond So Indeed, the location, according to a teamLab spokesperson, 'was one of the unique points of this exhibition in Hong Kong. 'We have been creating art since the year 2001 with the aim of changing people's values and contributing to societal progress. The environments where viewers and artworks are placed together allow us to decide how to express those changes. In that sense, Hong Kong harbour is very interesting in many ways. Newsletter SCMP Global Impact By submitting, you consent to receiving marketing emails from SCMP. If you don't want these, tick here {{message}} Thanks for signing up for our newsletter! Please check your email to confirm your subscription. Follow us on Facebook to get our latest news. 'We wanted to make something that would make the sea look different from the way it normally looks, as if it is connected to the land. The ovoids extended all the way across to Victoria Harbour [and] into the city. There is a kind of experience where the sea and this place merge seamlessly, without a boundary.' Similarly, Hofman, who specialises in large-scale outdoor works, found Hong Kong to provide both a uniquely scenic canvas and a particularly receptive audience for Rubber Duck. This installation by Japanese art collective teamLab was part of the Art@Harbour initiative at Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour. Photo: AFP 'The first time we did it in Hong Kong, it was overwhelming. We offered a sneak peek of the making of it, and there were massive queues of people waiting just to see it tested. I stayed for three weeks and did six or seven interviews a day. So many people came out. What I was struck by is that people in Hong Kong are often quite rushed, but this really changed; people took time – they even left work early just to have a peek. Victoria Harbour changed; people told me it would never be the same again.' The biggest challenge, he says, are the elements – it was the Hong Kong heat that caused one of the two ducks to deflate in 2023. The location also creates other issues, adds the department spokesperson. 'One of the biggest challenges was managing the heavy maritime traffic, strong winds and rough waves. Setting up and securing the exhibits at sea was significantly more complex than land-based installations. 'Key concerns included ensuring the safety and stability of the floating artworks for nearly three months during the rainy season. Manpower was required to regularly inspect and maintain both the marine and land installations.' One thing is clear from the reactions to the various harbour-based artworks, though: whatever the practical challenges, the buzz generated by the backdrop is more than enough to make them worth enduring.
