KIWIE is a pseudonymous Latvian street artist who has based his artistic style on a multiform repetition of one specific image â KIWIE monster character. He has been active since 2006.
KIWIE has participated in graffiti and street art festivals around the world, taken part in group shows as well as organised solo exhibitions. In 2007, KIWIE's art was performed and displayed in the exhibition hall ArsenÃÂls in Riga during an exhibition of contemporary art âÂÂCandy Bomberâ (âÂÂNaà ¡Ã·u bumbaâÂÂ) alongside other street artists. In 2009, the exhibition Beneath took place at Riga Art Space in which KIWIE, AMC and SAKI performed and displayed their street art.
In 2011 on April Fools KIWIE's art was displayed as a part of âÂÂWood MorningâÂÂ, an exhibition showcasing different uses of wood-based materials in art. In 2012, an interactive art exhibition âÂÂSteal Me!â where participants were encouraged to follow directions and âÂÂstealâ KIWIE's works took place in Riga. The project âÂÂGray Rainbowâ was created in 2013. It was the first large-scale mural graffiti painting in Latvia and biggest street artwork in the country. The mural was part of the KIWIE Solo Exhibition sequence that was held in 5 different countries at the same time - Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Germany, and France. In 2014, KIWIE's street art exhibition âÂÂStreet Noiseâ was displayed during an electronic music festival âÂÂUrban Soulzâ in an abandoned Soviet building in Riga. In 2016, one of the artist's solo shows âÂÂMIMIKâ took place at âÂÂRiga Art Spaceâ and gathered a record number of visitors at the opening night. In 2019, KIWIE participated in the 28 STARS EXHIBITION in Amsterdam curated by the Amsterdam Street Art Association.
KIWIE's street art has appeared in graffiti festivals in Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Germany, and Cyprus.
In 2012, the project âÂÂThe Black Duke of Lancasterâ took place in Wales, UK, where KIWIE spray-painted an abandoned cruise liner TSS Duke of Lancaster. In 2014, KIWIE executed the biggest graffiti mural in the Baltic States. Titled âÂÂSaule, PÃÂrkons, DaugavaâÂÂ, the works can be found in one of the streets of Riga, and it covers approximately 800 m<sup>2</sup> of the wall surface. This work was created during a street art festival, and KIWIE did it together with the street artist Rudens Stencil. In 2021, the artist started a new series of blockchain-enabled art installations in 1001 locations across the world.
The artist has collaborated with companies such as skateboarding apparel manufacturer Vans, vegan junk food restaurant Frost Burgers, liquor producer Jägermeister, Latvian art museum Zuzeum and others.
KIWIE has a background in graphic, product and fashion design. The artist specializes in street art and colorful canvas paintings, often large scale.