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Installation view from KAWS: NEW FICTION at Serpentine, with GETTING THE CALL (2018) and WHAT PARTY (2020) visible. © Jonty Wilde (courtesy KAWS).

Serpentine hosts first London KAWS solo exhibit through February

Sheila Gibson Stoodley
Sheila Gibson Stoodley
Installation view from KAWS: NEW FICTION at Serpentine, with GETTING THE CALL (2018) and WHAT PARTY (2020) visible. © Jonty Wilde (courtesy KAWS).
Installation view from KAWS: NEW FICTION at Serpentine, with GETTING THE CALL (2018) and WHAT PARTY (2020) visible. © Jonty Wilde (courtesy KAWS).

LONDON – Serpentine starts 2022 with a multi-layered global project with the internationally acclaimed artist KAWS (aka Brian Donnelly, American, b. 1974-), developed in collaboration with Acute Art and the online video game Fortnite. In the artist’s first major solo exhibition in London, KAWS: NEW FICTION presents new and recent works in physical and augmented reality at Serpentine North. The show opened January 18 and continues through February 27.

The exhibition is presented in collaboration with Acute Art and curated by Acute Art’s Artistic Director, Daniel Birnbaum. A parallel digital version of the show launches simultaneously in Fortnite, a video game developed by Epic Games.

KAWS, SEEING, 2022, an augmented reality sculpture at Serpentine North Gallery. Courtesy of KAWS and Acute Art.
KAWS, SEEING, 2022, an augmented reality sculpture at Serpentine North Gallery. Courtesy of KAWS and Acute Art.

In addition to the Fortnite collaboration, Serpentine and KAWS will use an app developed by Acute Art to offer a bridge between the virtual and the physical worlds. All the paintings and sculptures in the exhibition as well as a miniature version of the entire show will exist as AR works on the Acute Art app and can be placed and viewed at home by viewers globally. They can also be shared on social media, making KAWS’ art visible across the world.

KAWS, COMPANION (EXPANDED), 2020, an augmented reality sculpture at Serpentine North Gallery. Courtesy of KAWS and Acute Art.
KAWS, COMPANION (EXPANDED), 2020, an augmented reality sculpture at Serpentine North Gallery. Courtesy of KAWS and Acute Art.

A virtual recreation of the show is available now in Fortnite, allowing millions of players from all over the world to experience the exhibition from anywhere. All built by the Fornite Creative community, players will be able to explore the Serpentine gardens, interact with KAWS’ artworks and experience his iconic sculptures in a completely new way.
Players can access the KAWS: New Fiction hub indefinitely with island code 9562-7830-4159.

Serpentine gratefully acknowledges the support of the Skarstedt Gallery, Acute Art and a number of project partners.

Visit the website for Serpentine, a pair of contemporary art galleries founded in 1970 in the heart of London, and see its dedicated page for KAWS: NEW FICTION.