Serpentine start 2022 with a multi-layered global project with the internationally acclaimed artist KAWS developed in collaboration with Acute Art and the online video game Fortnite.
In his first major solo exhibition in London, NEW FICTION, KAWS (Brian Donnelly b.1974) presents new and recent works in physical and augmented reality at Serpentine North from 18 January – 27 February 2022. 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.
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.
ACUTE ART APP
The Acute Art app offers a bridge between each of the different worlds. All the paintings and sculptures in the exhibition as well as a miniature version of the entire show exist as AR works on the Acute Art app and can be placed and viewed at home.
View the augmented reality artworks on your smartphone both indoors and outside the gallery.
1. Download the free Acute Art app by using the buttons to the right and Serpentine’s free wi-fi.
2. Allow access to your location and camera
3. Select KAWS NEW FICTION
4. Select your location at the gallery and tap ‘View’
5. Go up to the empty white plinth on the floor and point the camera at it
6. Follow the instructions for the AR to appear. Download link below.
FORTNITE
A virtual recreation of the show is available 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 9441-7852-6686.
Serpentine gratefully acknowledges the support of the Skarstedt Gallery, Acute Art and a number of project partners.
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Brooklyn-based KAWS is considered one of the most innovative artists of his generation. Within the Pop Art tradition, he has created a prolific body of influential work, which both engages young people with contemporary art and straddles the worlds of art and design to include street art, graphic and product design, paintings, murals and large-scale sculptures.
He was born in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1974 and received his BFA from the School of Visual Arts, New York. From its onset, his career has been marked by his ability to cross disciplines’ boundaries and push our conceptions of what an artist, artwork, exhibition, collector, and audience can be. His extensive list of projects in renowned institutions include solo exhibitions at— The Mori Arts Center Gallery, Tokyo (2021), The Brooklyn Museum, New York (2021); The National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia (2019); Fire Station, Qatar Museums, Doha, Qatar (2019); Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Michigan (2019), Contemporary Art Museum of St. Louis, Missouri (2017); Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas (2016) which travelled to the Yuz Museum, Shanghai, China (2017); Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Longside Gallery, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom (2016); Brooklyn Museum, New York (2015); Centro de Arte Contemporáneo, Málaga, Spain (2014); Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Overland Park, Kansas (2013); Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia (2013); High Art Museum, Atlanta, Georgia (2011); and Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, Connecticut (2011).
KAWS regularly exhibits in museums and galleries internationally and his work continues to appeal to a loyal fan base as well as the commercial sector. He has collaborated with industry leaders including Nike, Vans, MTV and Kanye West.
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Acute Art works with today’s most compelling artists, bringing together new technology and artistic vision. Currently working across virtual and augmented realities, it produces original digital artworks, making these accessible to everyone through its website, free app and creative collaborations. The company also works as a digital art laboratory, exploring new mediums for experimental art-making and identifying creative ways for it to be experienced and displayed.
