As the Spring semester continues to gain speed, it has become very apparent that I am nervous to start writing the next chunk of my Thesis. Following the break, I feel as though I have become so knowledgeable of KAWS' career evolution, and yet I am still hesitant to make a strong statement and move forward with it. There are so many aspects of KAWS' rise to fame that interest me, and I think that this may be the reason why I am struggling so much to narrow it down- if it was up to me, I would try to write about everything. Since this is not feasible, I must now focus on the parts that interest me the most, and allow my newly found passion for this topic to propel me forward. This passion centers on the ways in which KAWS utilizes social media and brand collaborations in an effort to expand his following and reach broader audiences. This ever-growing audience has aided KAWS in becoming more and more famous as time goes on, and has also cemented his status as an emerging figure in pop-culture. For me, the most interesting phenomenon to be drawn from this, is the fact that the growth of KAWS required little to no intervention by cultural institutions- implying that they may no longer be necessary for an artist's fame to grow.
With this perspective in mind, I can continue to narrow my thoughts and move forward in the writing process....hopefully forming my ideas in a manner consistent with how they are currently residing in my mind.
Exciting to learn about this direction for your research. In addition to your point about cultural institutions, consider (though) that KAWS still has gallery representation (now with Skarstedt). So there is some need for an institutional framework, still. And, how does that reconcile with his work. Also, as an aside, I just read TJ Demo's new book. If you can't access it online and want to borrow it, lmk and I can bring it in for you. https://www.dukeupress.edu/beyond-the-worlds-end.
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