Ups And Downs #4 2013

This vibrant and graphic painting by Kaws feels very much like the way we experience the world today - fast and flat, with a nod to his roots in graffiti and street art. The composition, with its bold lines and unblended colors, feels decidedly contemporary, even though it builds upon a long history of color-field painting and pop art. I can imagine Kaws carefully masking each section, building up these blocks of color one by one. Look at the X-ed out eyes – those clean lines speak to graphic design but also hint at something obscured, something hidden beneath the surface. The way the different blocks of color come together to form a cohesive image, despite their flatness, reminds me a little of David Hockney. There's an element of play here, and a sense of fun, even with those X-ed out eyes which suggests something melancholic. It seems like Kaws is inviting us to look closer, to find our own meaning in the shapes and colors, to engage with the ups and downs of the world.