Michael McLeer, widely recognized by his moniker Kaves, is a distinguished artist, designer and creative visionary. McLeer’s work has continually been inspired by the tales of everyday people in his beloved Brooklyn, in which he was born and raised.

McLeer began his career in 1981 when, as an 11-year old rebel, he took spray can in hand and wrote the name KAVES on an MTA train car. The rest is New York City history.

He has since evolved into a multifaceted artist, known for blending street culture with storytelling. His work has garnered recognition from major brands and across the worlds of art, film, music and popular media.

Kaves’ most ambitious project to date is The Brooklyn Pop, an 11,000 square foot interactive exhibit that blends visual art, music, film, and set design to explore Brooklyn’s impact on global pop culture. At the heart of the exhibit is A Brooklyn Dream, an original immersive play written and directed by Kaves, which unfolds within the space itself. The production tells a multi-generational underdog story all filtered through Kaves’s personal lens and life story.