New Kaws statue in Campus Martius gains fans and critics

Ryan Patrick Hooper | Special to the Detroit Free Press

The latest addition to downtown Detroit’s public art portfolio is already turning heads and sparking debate.

On an overcast Sunday afternoon, just 48 hours after its installation, the 17-foot statue titled “Waiting” by established contemporary artist Kaws is proving to be a popular attraction with pedestrians passing by the main entrance to One Campus Martius where the statue stands overlooking Campus Martius Park.

Made from two tons of bronze, it’s a towering artistic accomplishment that commands attention yet blends in with the greater urban landscape thanks to its subtle black patina finish set against the grey modernist architecture of One Campus Martius.

Read more:

Like the “Spirit of Detroit” bronze statue a few blocks south on Woodward Avenue, there’s plenty of downtown patrons stopping to take photos with the Kaws statue and discuss what it stands for.

“I don’t know anything about art — I’m kind of a philistine — so anything that looks cool is cool with me,” said Christopher Burkard, 33, who was back visiting his hometown of Detroit after moving to Virginia. “It’s definitely not an eyesore.”

From a distance, says Burkard, it looks like Mickey Mouse — “the gloved hands, the feet and the goofy shorts” — but once he got closer, his interpretation changed.

“It looks like a mother and daughter because I thought it was a women’s hair but it’s actually skull and crossbones,” says Burkard. “It’s interesting.”

Created by Brooklyn-based artist Brian Donnelly under the alias Kaws, the statue features two figures known as “Companion” — a recurring character in the Kaws lexicon that represents the process of growing up and often reflects personal aspects pulled from the artist’s own life.

There are a few elements featured on the statue that are signatures of Kaws’ work — the crossed-out markings on the eyes and gloves; the skull-and-crossbone heads — but it also borrows from the design anatomy of the iconic Disney character Mickey Mouse.

Many of the people the Free Press interviewed wondered why there wasn’t more information about the statue nearby and mentioned the Mickey Mouse comparison, but also saw the massive piece of public art as representing Detroit’s future in a positive light.

“It definitely symbolizes the new Detroit and what we’re trying to accomplish here with new energy, new business and attractions,” said Hillary Shaw, 56, of Bloomfield Hills, who stopped by to see the statue with her daughter Melanie Shaw, 25, on the way to the airport.

“It symbolizes the future of Detroit — very cool and very hip,” adds Hillary.

“There’s statues like this all over,” says Melanie Shaw, who referenced other Kaws “Companion” statues in Los Angeles and Hong Kong, “so to have Kaws here is such a great statement for art in Detroit. It’ll bring international people here to see the blooming, awesome Detroit.”

Eighteen-year-old Detroiter Jalen Hall snapped a photo of the statue while walking around downtown.

“Personally, I like it,” Hall said. “Public art is the way people express how they feel about their city, so we need more stuff like this in Detroit.”

That doesn’t mean the new statue is being universally received by Detroit residents.

“It’s bringing bad vibes down here, man,” said 23-year-old Detroiter Cordell James, who felt the crossed-out eyes represented death.

“What’s that up there for?” asked James. “That doesn’t represent Detroit in my eyes. I don’t see nothing that says Detroit when I look at that.”

“Waiting” is another high-profile art acquisition by real estate magnate Dan Gilbert and his wife Jennifer, who oversees their growing Detroit Art Collection — a wide-ranging portfolio of immersive installations and public art that span Bedrock’s real estate portfolio downtown.

Kaws will be in attendance for a public unveiling of the statue scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday outside of One Campus Martius.

