Kimpsons #8 2005

Kaws' 'Kimpsons #8' is a painting that's all about smooth surfaces and bold color blocking, made with acrylic on canvas. The flat, almost cartoonish application of paint gives it a graphic, screen-printed vibe. It's like Kaws is pushing back against the idea of the artist's touch, of expressive brushwork. Instead, we get this super clean, almost mechanical finish. The solid purple background, the bright, unwavering yellow of the skin, the stark red dress. It's a color world that’s both familiar and slightly off-kilter. I'm really drawn to those crossed-out eyes. It’s a simple gesture, but it totally transforms the character, turning Marge into something more melancholic, more knowing. It reminds me a bit of Warhol's pop appropriations mixed with a dash of Basquiat’s subversive edge. In the end, it's all just paint, stretched on canvas, but what a world of feeling it can hold, right?