KAWS

ALBERTINA MODERN, VIENNA

KAWS. Art & Comix explores the interplay between comics, comic strips, cartoons, and fine art from the second half of the 20th century to the present. This exhibition at the ALBERTINA Museum places the US artist KAWS at the center and in dialog with selected contemporary works. Doing so makes clear the artistic autonomy of his transgressive characters, who unite aspects of pop, commercial, and public art.

Through its inclusion of works by Roy Lichtenstein, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Ad Reinhardt, Joyce Pensato, and others, this presentation addresses overlaps and interactions between high and low art since the 1960s as well as with the popularity of a mass medium with universal appeal. Comics stand out for their highly direct quality and are a phenomenon of everyday culture, a democratic art form that exists for everybody.

The exhibition is on view from 3 April until 27 September 2026 at the ALBERTINA MODERN.