KAWS, born Brian Donnelly, is an American artist and designer recognised for blurring the line between commercial and fine art. With an emphasis on colour, pop culture and distinctive graphics, Donnelly gained international recognition after defacing billboards, phone booths and bus shelters around New York City with his distinctive cartoonish characters. After transitioning from 2D to 3D, in 2012 his grayscale clown-like figure “Companion” was adapted into a 14-foot balloon for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Since then, his large-scale sculptures have been shown in Switzerland, Hong Kong, South Korea, London and China. His work is exhibited in major galleries and museums and is avidly collected by individuals around the world.