From 29 October 2025 to 25 January 2026, Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi and Fondazione Hillary Merkus Recordati present THE MESSAGE by KAWS – the world-renowned contemporary artist whose unmistakable works aim to challenge the categories and hierarchies that exist within fine art.
In THE MESSAGE, we see a layered contrast between the Renaissance setting of Palazzo Strozzi and KAWS’s iconic COMPANION and BFF. This clashing of aesthetics is multi-faceted by way of materials and patinas applied by KAWS, the themes that are raised and the classical setting in which it all takes place. We are warmed up by the civic majesty of Florence itself before happening upon the courtyard wherein THE MESSAGE resides.
Palazzo Strozzi is a quintessential expression of Renaissance aesthetic ideals. Its rusticated stone façade, symmetrical windows and imposing, graceful courtyard reflect the era’s revival of classical principles and humanist values. Built by the powerful Strozzi family, the palace stands amid the vibrant streets of central Florence, surrounded by masterworks of the period. Centred beneath the arches of the Palazzo’s courtyard, raised like monoliths of worship, are KAWS’s cuddly cartoon characters. They are carved in dark wood, the hue and richness of which exudes a kind of antiquated warmth. The higher figure brandishes a phone at its bowing counterpart, like a tablet of commandments. The second kneeling figure is oblivious; completely immersed in its own phone. The figures’ poses overtly recall the iconographic tradition of the Annunciation, with Mary and the Archangel Gabriel facing each other in a dialogue suspended between the human and the divine.
“A few years ago, Arturo Galansino invited me to create a work for the Courtyard of Palazzo Strozzi and told me about the Fra Angelico exhibition,” says KAWS. “THE MESSAGE is a work that I imagined in dialogue with one of fathers of the Renaissance, it’s about communicating, it’s about people, what’s said and what’s lost. I feel it’s a contemporary interpretation of a very old idea.”
In THE MESSAGE, KAWS revisits a canonical scene of Western visual culture through a reference to the hyper-connection that defines our everyday lives. The mobile phone becomes the key element of the scene: an object of daily use that in today’s world has assumed an almost sacred quality. Whereas in Renaissance iconography the angel conveyed the divine word, today communication takes place through the smartphone, an emblem of instantaneous and universal connection. By placing the device at the centre of the encounter between COMPANION and BFF, KAWS combines a familiar gesture with a moment of collective reflection, underscoring how technology has become the vehicle of the messages that shape our relationships and our perception of reality.
The use of dark wood allows the cascading natural light to set an ever-changing tone. The tops of sculptures appear white at the height of day and darken as it comes to an end. It gives the works a fluidity and – when absorbed amidst the Renaissance atmosphere – a very palpable spiritual presence.
The public and accessible dimension of the work, a hallmark of KAWS’s practice, is integral to the project: its free access in the courtyard amplifies the encounter with visitors and aligns with the mission of the Palazzo Strozzi Future Art programme, which promotes projects by contemporary artists capable of creating new perspectives between past and future.
KAWS refuses to create within the established boundaries of art. He has made a career out of infiltrating traditional styles and classical works with his iconic cartoon characters. They appear, childlike, in spaces they aren’t meant to be, conjuring contemporary context and revaluations of perspectives. THE MESSAGE exemplifies this ethos and has KAWS ascend to even loftier heights.
Portrait & Drawings: © KAWS
