KAWS on the Redesign of the MTV VMA Moonman

After standing as a symbol for the MTV VMAs for the last 30 years, the iconic Moonman has been given a new look at the hands of New York-based artist and designer KAWS. The Brooklyn native, who has garnered an international following for his art, sculptures and collectible toys, aimed to give a fresh look to the symbol without compromising its identity, and has produced something that he feels is distinctly KAWS while still being distinctly Moonman. In the video below, KAWS discusses his first impressions of the project, his development from lettering to symbolic imagery, and compares his rework to the original.

The KAWS version of the Moonman is going to be a one-time-only redesign to commemorate the award show’s move to Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center.