KAWS:PLAYTIME is an interactive space where children can create, have some fun and ponder the meaning of friendship.  Yet again the NGV team have delivered a stunning installation – and this artist collab is lots of fun… and FREE!

When: until April 2020

Where: NGV International, St Kilda Road MELBOURNE

Cost: FREE

KAWS:PLAYTIME is a dedicated playful kids exhibition that KAWS has created, introducing promising young artists of today to his creative approach and artistic methods of integrating pop culture into his work.  Bold colours, vibrant visuals and playful, toy-like figures are synonomous with KAWS.

Create an animation where you become one of KAWS characters, cheer up your BFF and create a friend. KAWS:PLAYTIME is a fun space to explore and depending on visitor numbers I would allow about 30 minutes for your visit.  It’s the perfect addition to a visit to the gallery.

KAWS: COMPANIONSHIP IN THE AGE OF LONELINESS is an exhibition children can enjoy thanks to the many pop cultural references and widely recognised reappropriated characters.

Cost: Gallery Member Child $5 – Non Member Adult $20, click here for bookings online.

The artworks in this exhibition are a mix of 2D and sculptures – there are no screens or buttons to slow down any smaller gallery visitors who are hasty consumers of traditional art mediums!  I suspect my children might skip through this exhibition quite quickly leaving me wanting just a little bit more (the media preview was on a school day, so we will return soon to test that theory out).

I knew nothing of KAWS (other than his electric blue BFF) before this exhibition and was hungry to learn more.  While there are information panels dotted around and the bredth of works on display gave some detail, I still am none the wiser around why and how collaborations came about – or why his works have taken on a cult-like status.  I enjoyed the craftsmanship, the story around the characters (sorrow, empathy, sadness, compassion etc), the subversiveness; but I’m not really sure I “got it”.  Maybe I was looking too deep?  Eitherway, it’s fun, colourful and definiately thought provoking!