DONDA
DONDA is a creative content company founded by rapper and fashion designer Kanye West.
Contents
History
West announced the company on January 5, 2012, via a series of Twitter posts.[1]
In his announcement, West proclaimed that the company would "pick up where Steve Jobs left off"; DONDA would operate as "a design company which will galvanize amazing thinkers in a creative space to bounce their dreams and ideas" with the "goal to make products and experiences that people want and can afford."[2]
The announcement garnered widespread media attention, including coverage by The Guardian,[3] The Washington Post,[4] The Huffington Post,[5] The Wall Street Journal,[6] and Time Magazine, which proclaimed the company's announcement the first major social media moment of 2012.[7]
In February 2016 Stephen Colbert during The Late Show said of a DONDA organigram that "it is as ambitious as it is vague".[8]
Culture
West is secretive about the company's operations, maintaining neither an official website or social media presence.[9][10]
In stating DONDA's creative philosophy, West articulated the need to "put creatives in a room together with like minds" in order to "simplify and aesthetically improve everything we see, taste, touch, and feel.".[11] Contemporary critics have noted the consistent minimalistic aesthetic exhibited throughout DONDA creative projects.[12][13][14]
Continuing a trend consistent in previous Kanye West projects,[15] an additional hallmark of DONDA projects has been multi-disciplinary collaboration, often featuring prominent contributions from major figures in various creative fields. Prominent examples include painter George Condo, video artist/film director Steve McQueen, performance artist Vanessa Beecroft, artist Wes Lang, stage designer Es Devlin, artist/sculptor Takashi Murakami, photographer Jackie Nickerson, fashion designer Riccardo Tisci, and fashion house Maison Martin Margiela.[16][17][18][19]
Projects
Film
On May 23, 2012, DONDA debuted its inaugural creative project, a film entitled Cruel Summer, as part of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.
Cruel Summer was shot using a specialized camera rig, which allowed the directors to capture multiple angles simultaneously.[20] The film, developed in collaboration with the Doha Film Institute, design firm 2x4 and architecture firm OMA, was presented in a specially designed theater - christened "Surround Vision" - featuring seven screens which surrounded the audience.[21]
On March 7, 2015, West debuted a collaborative short film with director Steve McQueen entitled All Day/I Feel Like That.[22] The film premiered at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, France, followed by its American debut at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in July 2015.[23]
Album/singles art
To date, DONDA has provided packaging design for the following albums and singles:
- Kanye West (feat. Big Sean, Pusha T, & 2 Chainz), "Mercy", released on April 3, 2012.[24]
- Kanye West, "Cold", released on April 4, 2012.[25]
- Meek Mill (feat. Big Sean), "Burn", released on May 4, 2012.[26]
- Pusha T (feat. Kanye West), "New God Flow", released on July 12, 2012.[27]
- 2 Chainz, Based on a T.R.U. Story, released on August 12, 2012[28]
- G.O.O.D. Music, Cruel Summer, released on September 14, 2012.[29]
- Pusha T, "Pain", released on October 8, 2012.[30]
- Big Sean, "Guap", released on October 25, 2012.
- Pusha T (feat Popcaan & Travi$ Scott), "Blocka", released on December 5, 2012.[31]
- ASAP Rocky, Long. Live. ASAP, released on January 15, 2013.[32]
- Lil Wayne, "Love Me", released on January 18, 2013.
- Pusha T, Wrath of Caine mixtape, released on January 28, 2013.
- Pusha T, "Millions", released on January 29, 2013.
- Lil Wayne, I Am Not a Human Being II, released on March 26, 2013.[33]
- Pusha T, "Numbers on the Board", released on April 11, 2013.
- Kanye West, Yeezus, released on June 18, 2013.
- Big Sean, Hall of Fame, released on August 27, 2013.
- Pusha T, My Name Is My Name, released on October 7, 2013.
- Pusha T, "Lunch Money", released on November 18, 2014.
- Nicki Minaj, The Pinkprint, released on December 12, 2014.
- Kanye West, "Only One", released on January 1, 2015.
- Big Sean, "Dark Sky Paradise", released on February 24, 2015.
- Kanye West, "All Day", released on March 2, 2015.
- Vic Mensa, "U Mad", released on April 10, 2015.
- Tyga, The Gold Album: 18th Dynasty, released on June 23, 2015.
- Pusha T, "Untouchable", released on November 12, 2015.
- Kanye West, "Facts", released on December 31, 2015.
Music videos
- "Black Skinhead" (Directed by Nick Knight), released on July 22, 2013.
- "Beware" (Directed by Matthew Williams), released on August 16, 2013.[34]
- "Bound 2" (Directed by Nick Knight), released on November 16, 2013.
- "Only One" (Directed by Spike Jonze, Concept by Vanessa Beecroft), released on January 29, 2015.
- Complex Magazine "GOOD Music: New Religion" cover story and article, printed on July 23, 2012.[35]
- Kanye West and Adidas Originals - Season One zine. Photography by Jackie Nickerson. Released on March 11, 2015.
- Kim Kardashian West - "Selfish" - published on May 5, 2015.[36]
- Rich Wilkerson, Jr., "Sandcastle Kings: Meeting Jesus in a Spiritually Bankrupt World" cover art, published on November 10, 2015.[37]
Stage design
- Kanye West - "Surround Vision" Concert, debuted at Revel Atlantic City on December 28, 2012.
- Kanye West - The Yeezus Tour, debuted at Key Arena, Seattle, WA on October 19, 2013.
- Kanye West - "All Day", debuted at the Brit Awards, February 25, 2015.
- Kanye West - "Surround Vision" benefit concert, debuted at Fondation Louis Vuitton on March 6, 2015.
![](/w/images/thumb/9/95/New_Slaves_projection.jpg/200px-New_Slaves_projection.jpg)
Marketing
Prominent marketing projects include:
- Worldwide "New Slaves" guerrilla projection campaign.[38]
- Yeezus "Please Add Graffiti" advertising project.[39]
- American Psycho homage short film, starring Scott Disick and Jonathan Cheban. Released June 17, 2013.[40]
- "The Canyons" trailer remix, released August 2, 2015.[41]
- Kanye West and Adidas Originals - Season One rollout & invitation campaign. February 13, 2015.[42][43]
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Graham, Mark, Kanye West's Epic 1600-word Twitter Rant: Neatly Organized for your Reading Pleasure, 5 January 2012, 'VH1', retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ Dredge, Stuart, Kanye West's DONDA wants to 'pick up where Steve Jobs left off', 6 January 2012, 'The Guardian', retrieved 3 August 2015.
- ↑ Chaney, Jen, Kanye West and the Donda Twitter rant: A translation, 6 January 2012, 'The Washington Post', retrieved 3 August 2015.
- ↑ Staff, Kanye West Twitter Rant: Donda, His New Company, Education & Design Plans, 5 January 2012, 'The Huffington Post', retrieved 3 August 2015.
- ↑ Chai, Barbara, Kanye West Writes 86-Tweet Opus, 5 January 2012, 'The Wall Street Journal', retrieved 3 August 2015.
- ↑ Carbonne, Nick & Conniff, Kelly, The Year in Social Media, 19 December 2012, 'Time Magazine', retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ We Have To Help Kanye on YouTube
- ↑ Hope, Clover, Kanye West has a Dream: Inside his Creative Agency DONDA, 19 August 2013, 'VIBE', retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ Pasori, Cedar, How Kanye West's Creative Company DONDA is making its own Brand of Cool, 3 November 2014, 'Complex Magazine', retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ Graham, Mark, Kanye West's Epic 1600-word Twitter Rant: Neatly Organized for your Reading Pleasure, 5 January 2012, 'VH1', retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ Sargent, Jordan, DONDA: Kanye West Goes G.O.O.D. Trill Hunting with His Minimalist Design Company, 13 November 2013, 'Spin Magazine', retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ Babcock, Gregory, Kanye's Stylish Pastor Releases DONDA-Designed Book, 23 June 2015, 'Complex Magazine', retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ Lewis, Brittany, Every Music Cover Kanye West’s Creative House DONDA Has Created So Far…, 3 November 2014, 'Global Grind', retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ McQueen, Steve, Kanye West, 19 January 2014, Interview Magazine, retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ↑ Alexander, Ella, Why Margiela Teamed Up With Kanye, 6 November 2013, 'Vogue Magazine', retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ Staff, Behind Kanye West's Methodical Conquest of the Art World, 28 November 2013, 'Artspace', retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ Saka, Ren & Castro, Vanessa,12 Things to Know About Vanessa Beecroft, Kanye West's Visual Art Collaborator, 5 December 2013, 'Complex Magazine', retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ Deleon, Jian, Wes Lang Designed Kanye West's Tour T-Shirts, and Now You Can Buy Them At PacSun, 2013, 'GQ', retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ Staff, Kanye West Cruel Summer Pavilion, '2x4, retrieved 9 January 2012.
- ↑ Rosenfeld, Karissa, Kanye West’s seven-screen pavilion / OMA, 24 May 2012, 'Arch Daily, retrieved 9 January 2012.
- ↑ Malle, Chloe, / West with the Night: Kanye Takes over The Fondation Louis Vuitton, 8 March 2015, 'Vogue Magazine, retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ↑ Williams, Maxwell, Kanye West and Steve McQueen Debut Collaborative 'All Day/I Feel LIke That' Video at LACMA Gathering, 25 July 2015, 'The Hollywood Reporter, retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Greenwald, David, 2 Chainz Enlists Kanye West's DONDA For Album Art, 5 July 2012, 'Billboard Magazine, retrieved 9 January 2012.
- ↑ Diep, Eric, Kanye West Reveals "Cruel Summer" Album Art, 2 August 2012, 'Complex Magazine, retrieved 9 January 2012.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.joerperez.com/long-live-asap-album/
- ↑ Strong, Nolan, Kanye West’s Company DONDA Designs Artwork For Lil Wayne Album, 30 January 2013, 'AllHipHop', retrieved 31 January 2013.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Callahan-Bever, Noah, G.O.O.D. Music: New Religion, 23 July 2012, 'Complex Magazine, retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ Fox, T.S., G.O.O.D. Music: New Religion, 20 January 2015, 'Hypebeast, retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Schwarz, Hunter, Kanye West Projected "New Slaves" And A Video With Scott Disick Onto The Sides Of Buildings Last Night, 16 June 2013, 'Buzzfeed, retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ Green, Mark Anthony, Kanye West Gets New Creative Direction, May 2013, 'GQ, retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Li, Arby, The Kanye West for adidas Yeezy Season 1 Anorak, 12 February 2015, 'Hypebeast, retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ Marcus, Ezra, Kanye West Sends Out Mysterious New York Fashion Week Invites, 11 February 2012, 'Radio.com, retrieved 4 August 2015.