KAWS:HOLIDAY
Le Brassus, Switzerland
From now until December 20th, 2024
Infamous artist and designer, Brian Donnelly a.k.a. KAWS has brought his bold and audacious creative approach to luxury Swiss watchmaker, Audemars Piguet, not only with his take on a limited-edition watch, in the form of the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon, but also a gigantic, 11-meter-tall COMPANION structure that sits upon the roof of AP HQ in Le Brassus.
Of course, Donnelly specialises in statement artworks, and these have gained notoriety worldwide. From his graffiti tagging in ’90s NYC and working as a freelance artist for Disney (he created animated backgrounds that quickly garnered attention) to producing limited-edition toys, and then solo exhibitions, his thoroughly modern artworks are an amalgamation of his vibrant artistic heritage.
Audemars Piguet also like to dabble in other creative realms, from music and pop culture to the arts, Piguet proudly engages with the wider cultural world, enriching conversations and collaborations, and the KAWS relationship was only matter of time then. With only 250 pieces produced, the watch wouldn’t be complete without his signature cartoon-like character, COMPANION, and so, there’s a miniature one at the centre of the model. After all, playing with scales and pushing the boundaries is what KAWS is known for.
“It has been an incredible experience working with Audemars Piguet over the past two years to bring this project to fruition. I find the world of watchmaking fascinating, and the artisans at Audemars Piguet are truly exceptional in their craft. I am honoured to have my watch included in the company’s catalogue, which spans over a hundred years of watchmaking excellence.”
Taking pride of place, AP says it’s put time to the side–quite literally–thanks to the use of a peripheral time display to accommodate the cartoon that’s central to the model, demonstrating the heresy both parties, and inviting the viewer to see haute horlogerie in a different light.
KAWS’ COMPANION has travelled in various forms and across the globe, from toy figures and large-scale sculptures to giant floating inflatables and AR versions. Evoking both life and death, the real and the fake, this character is both appealing and disconcerting, and especially the 11m iteration that sits on the roof of Audemars Piguet’s headquarters; marking the twelfth stop of the touring HOLIDAY project, along with AllRightsReserved, the COMPANION overlooks the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet to highlight the link between craftsmanship and culture.
To further celebrate the collaboration, KAWS has created ‘TIME TOGETHER’ (2024). A limited-edition, 18-inch-high walnut sculpture of COMPANION, that sits atop the AP headquarters, it’s a symbol of the artist’s and the Manufacture’s commitment to meticulous craftsmanship. Edition of 100.
For further information audemarspiguet.com.
“KAWS has taken collaboration to a whole new level. By placing a miniature COMPANION at the heart of a Royal Oak Concept, he not only challenged us to push new boundaries, but he also encouraged us to look at our craftsmanship from a more humanistic perspective and reflect on the power of both the imaginary and Haute Horlogerie to inspire curiosity and evoke strong emotions.”
