Clean Slate, 2018, a monumental bronze sculpture by KAWS was recently acquired by the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

BY KAZAD

FORT WORTH, TEXAS- Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth has acquired Clean Slate, 2018, a monumental bronze sculpture by KAWS. Standing at 21 feet tall, Clean Slate has a central figure carrying two tied babies in both hands. While the baby in the right hand embraces the central figure, the other slumps over, tired.  For anyone who has found themselves in the company of two tired toddlers, this must be familiar.

This acquisition of Clean Slate, 2018, furthers the relationship between Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and KAWS that began in 2011. Seven years ago, the museum organized a small-scale solo exhibition of KAWS works as part of its FOCUS series. Based on the great attention generated by the show, the Director’s Council in 2012 voted to acquire the Where The End Starts, 2011, a painting by the artist.

In furtherance of that relationship, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth in 2012, installed KAWS’s Companion (Passing Through), 2010 at the main entrance of the museum. The sculpture immediately became the center of attention.

Companion is a sculpture of what looks like a girl. She seats on a box and covers her eyes with her hands. She appears to shy or distraught. The sculpture has gone through many transformations over the years. It began in 1999 as a toy. However, over the years, KAWS expanded its size and transformed into new materials. Starting in 2008, the artist began to create bronze and fiberglass versions of the sculpture. In 2013, he made some in wood. Soon after, it became a monumental scale sculpture. Her gesture and humanlike nature was a fascination for many that saw it during its short stay at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. Visitors took innumerable photographs with the seemingly shy figure often echoing its gesture by covering their eyes with their hands.

In 2016, four years after the installation of Companion (Passing Through), 2010, the Modern Art Museum put together a mid-career retrospective of KAWS’s work. Named after the painting acquired in 2012, KAWS: Where The End Starts, the show opened in Fort Worth and later traveled to Shanghai’s Yuz Museum in 2017.  During the Fort Worth show, new variations on Companion were installed throughout the museums. Also on display was a fiberglass version of Clean Slate from 2016.  Installed at the building’s entrance plaza, it became a conversational piece to visitors to the exhibition.

Beyond the Pond: Clean Slate at the Modern Art Museum

The newly acquired Clean Slate will overlook the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth pond. Situated on the North Terrace of the Modern, it will no doubt become one of the objects of conversations when it is unveiled to the public on December 9, 2018. In addition to its large scale, the idea of the sculpture will resonate with many people who have found themselves in the company of two tired toddlers. The sculpture echoes the environment of the Modern.  The rich patina of the sculpture engenders a conversation with the surrounding concrete architecture and the moods of the pond. It immediately becomes a destination for study, photos, or simple reflection on the experience of being human.

The acquisition of KAWS’s Clean Slate, 2018 by the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth is a clear indication of how the artistic career of the artist has flourished through the years. Although he began his career as a graffiti artist in 1990, he is today well known for his paintings, sculptures, and drawings informed by art history and inspired by cartoons. Many of his works depict human experiences that easily resonate with viewers. His works have been exhibited in museums and galleries across the globe. KAWS is now one of the most influential artists of his generation.