Draft:Kai (artist)

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'''Kai''' (born November 18, 1992), also known as '''Kai Guetta''' and sometimes credited as '''Kai Aspire''', is a pseudonymous American street and contemporary artist. Born in Los Angeles, California, to a French-Tunisian father and an American-Mexican mother, he works across street art, painting, and sculpture. Active since his mid-teens, his work combines social commentary with recurring themes of love, anxiety, consumerism, and human connection. He is best known for his signature character '''IF''' (Imaginary Friend), a figure conceived without defined race, gender, or identity, which appears throughout his paintings, installations, and sculptures.{{cite web |url=https://upmag.com/kai-aspires/ |title=Kai Aspires |publisher=UP Magazine}} His work has been exhibited internationally, including in Los Angeles, Miami, Paris, London, New York, Amsterdam, Beijing, Geneva, and Saint-Tropez.{{cite web |url=https://distractionmagazine.com/kai-aspire-the-exclusive-interview/ |title=Kai Aspire: The Exclusive Interview |publisher=Distraction Magazine}}

== Background ==
Kai was born in Los Angeles, California. He began making art at the age of 14.{{cite web |url=https://medium.com/authority-magazine/meet-rising-contemporary-artist-kai-whose-art-is-changing-how-we-see-the-world-ef77930dcf95 |title=Meet Rising Contemporary Artist Kai |publisher=Authority Magazine |date=8 February 2019}} One of his earliest public works was ''Morons'', a street poster campaign that adapted the Marlboro cigarette pack into an anti-smoking image, created with the intention of persuading his father to quit smoking.{{cite web |url=https://lifeisartfest.org/artist-interview-with-kai-guetta-by-tatiana-enriquez/ |title=Artist Interview with Kai Guetta |publisher=Life Is Art Fest}} He later studied at the California Institute of the Arts for one year, before continuing his training at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris.{{cite web |url=https://streetartnyc.org/blog/2015/12/09/speaking-with-west-coast-based-kai-aspire-in-nyc/ |title=Speaking with West Coast-Based Kai Aspire in NYC |publisher=Street Art NYC |date=9 December 2015}}

== Career ==

=== Early work ===
Kai began as a street artist in Los Angeles, where his early work focused on anti-advertising and anti-consumerist imagery. His first widely noted piece, ''Morons'', was followed by other public interventions using commercial imagery as a vehicle for social commentary.{{cite web |url=https://streetartnyc.org/blog/2015/12/09/speaking-with-west-coast-based-kai-aspire-in-nyc/ |title=Speaking with West Coast-Based Kai Aspire in NYC |publisher=Street Art NYC |date=9 December 2015}}

=== Now Royalty and early exhibitions ===
His first solo exhibition, ''Now Royalty'', was presented in Los Angeles and featured oil portraits of musicians and celebrities rendered in the style of aristocratic European portraiture. In preparation, Kai studied traditional painting methods in Italy and the Netherlands.{{cite web |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/13331/1/kai-now-royalty |title=Kai: Now Royalty |publisher=Dazed Digital}} In 2013, Kai presented an unauthorized solo exhibition at the Louvre-Rivoli Paris Métro station, installing sculpture and painting works before the station opened.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/arts/street-artist-holds-unauthorized-solo-exhibition-at-the-louvre-metro-station-1.1301067 |title=Street Artist Holds Unauthorized Solo Exhibition At The Louvre Metro Station |publisher=CBC |date=27 June 2013}}

=== IF (Imaginary Friend) ===
A significant shift in his practice came with the introduction of '''IF''' (Imaginary Friend), a recurring figure that became central to his work. First publicly shown in Miami,{{cite web |url=https://distractionmagazine.com/kai-aspire-the-exclusive-interview/ |title=Kai Aspire: The Exclusive Interview |publisher=Distraction Magazine}} the character was conceived as universal and relatable, without fixed racial or gender identity. In September 2017, Kai released a limited-edition silkscreen print of ''Love vs Money'', featuring the IF character, which sold out in 14 minutes.{{cite web |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/press-releases/2017/09/12/kai-love-vs-money-first-limited-edition-silkscreen.html |title=Kai Love vs Money First Limited Edition Silkscreen |publisher=Orlando Business Journal |date=12 September 2017}}

=== Sculpture and expanded practice ===
Kai later expanded from street works into sculpture, working with cement, concrete, bronze, and steel. In 2020, Kai participated in Michelle Obama's ''When We All Vote'' project, contributing a painting on canvas that was featured at various locations across the United States.{{cite web |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/visual-arts/article246253620.html |title=When We All Vote |publisher=Miami Herald}}

In 2021, he produced his first bronze sculpture, ''Love Holds Us Together''. He also presented the solo exhibition ''Before It's Too Late'' at Art Miami, and installed ''Endless Possibilities'', a monumental sculpture, at Wynwood Walls.{{citation needed}}

In 2023, Kai participated in Putt & Paint, an event held during Miami Art Week at Wynwood Walls, organized by ABV Agency in collaboration with Topgolf.{{cite web |url=https://abvatl.com/miami-art-basel-topgolf-putt-and-paint-activation |title=Miami Art Basel Topgolf Putt and Paint Activation |publisher=ABV Agency}}

In 2024, Kai presented ''Puissance de l'amour'', an outdoor exhibition of five monumental sculptures in Saint-Tropez, France, in collaboration with Bel-Air Fine Art.{{cite web |url=https://www.belairfineart.com/en/news/9f152ea8-a473-410e-88b9-ef2a96b536eb |title=Puissance de l'amour |publisher=Bel-Air Fine Art}} He also presented the solo exhibition ''Power of Love'' at Bel-Air Fine Art in Geneva.

=== Selected installations and collaborations ===
In 2015, Kai collaborated with singer Chris Brown, working under Brown's art pseudonym Konfuzed, on a series of paintings presented during Miami's Urban Art Week. Seven pieces were created over three days and auctioned during the event.{{cite web |url=https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/konfuzed-kai-chris-brown-art-sells-60k-miami-auction-339814/ |title=Konfuzed x Kai: Chris Brown's Art Sells For $60K At Miami Auction |publisher=Vibe |date=22 February 2015}}

In 2016, Kai installed cement relief works in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, France. The municipality subsequently commemorated his presence by placing a plaque bearing his signature and handprints in the Jardin des Arts.{{cite web |url=https://www.oukankoi.fr/?p=40890 |title=Exposition sculptures Le Touquet |publisher=Oukankoi |date=3 May 2017}}

In 2017, Kai participated in The RAW Project at Wynwood's Eneida M. Hartner Elementary School alongside artists including Jules Muck, Shepard Fairey, Paola Delfin, and Case Maclaim.{{cite web |url=https://streetartnyc.org/blog/2017/01/23/the-raw-project-at-wynwoods-eneida-m-hartner-elementary-school-jules-muck-mr-june-zed1-kevin-ledo-shepard-fairey-paola-delfin-case-macclaim-javis-landry-kai-aspire/ |title=The RAW Project at Wynwood's Eneida M. Hartner Elementary School |publisher=Street Art NYC |date=23 January 2017}}

In 2017, Kai installed eight cement-relief artworks on the exteriors of seven buildings in Aspen, Colorado, including historically significant sites such as the Hotel Jerome. The works were not authorized by the city, and officials considered issuing citations for trespassing and property damage.{{cite web |url=https://www.aspendailynews.com/street-art-installations-raise-citys-ire/article_6d179bdd-5209-5f52-a3d7-32a70220f28e.html |title=Street art installations raise city's ire |publisher=Aspen Daily News |date=11 August 2017}}

In 2017, Kai collaborated with Brooklyn-based accessory brand Pintrill on a pin featuring his IF character.{{cite web |url=https://hypebeast.com/2017/8/pintrill-kai-artist-collaboration |title=Pintrill x Kai Artist Collaboration |publisher=Hypebeast |date=August 2017}}

In 2020, Kai collaborated with streetwear brand Carrots on the Kai x Carrots Perception T-shirt.{{cite web |url=https://www.artnet.com/artists/kai-x-carrots-co/perception-t-shirt-cream-uFQSkTau7-chAKKin_2FIg2 |title=Kai x Carrots, Perception T-shirt |publisher=Artnet}}

== Work and themes ==
Kai's work spans painting, street art, sculpture, and public installation across a range of materials including steel, bronze, concrete, and cement. His best-known body of work revolves around IF (Imaginary Friend), a signature figure created without discernible race, gender, or color. The character appears in both humorous and poignant situations and addresses subjects including love, money, fear, care, and social pressure.{{cite web |url=https://upmag.com/kai-aspires/ |title=Kai Aspires |publisher=UP Magazine}} Other notable works and series include ''Morons'', ''Now Royalty'', ''Lost Values'', ''Love vs Money'', ''Love Holds Us Together'', and ''Double Take''.

== Stolen street works ==
As with other street artists, some of Kai's public works have been removed or stolen after installation. In interviews, he has noted that individuals have attempted to recover and resell his street pieces, at times contacting him to authenticate them.{{cite web |url=https://distractionmagazine.com/kai-aspire-the-exclusive-interview/ |title=Kai Aspire: The Exclusive Interview |publisher=Distraction Magazine}}

== Recognition ==
Kai's work has been covered in publications including ''Art Business News'',{{cite web |url=http://artbusinessnews.com/2022/04/meet-the-artist-kai/ |title=Meet the Artist: Kai |publisher=Art Business News |date=April 2022}} ''Dazed'',{{cite web |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/13331/1/kai-now-royalty |title=Kai: Now Royalty |publisher=Dazed Digital}} and ''Miami Herald''.{{cite web |url=http://www.miamiherald.com/miami-com/things-to-do/article225729840.html |title=Artists address modern issues at Art Basel |publisher=Miami Herald |date=8 December 2016}} His installations and exhibitions have appeared in cities including Los Angeles, Miami, Paris, London, New York, Amsterdam, Beijing, Geneva, and Saint-Tropez.





== References ==

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