S tanding at over eight feet tall, and rendered in stunning grayscale, KAWS’ imposing Companion sculpture towers over the viewer in an impressive display of scale and bravado that has come to define the artist’s work. KAWS’ companion series dates to 1999 when the artist was commissioned to design a limited edition toy for influential Japanese streetwear brand Bounty Hunter. The resulting character, nicknamed Companion, appropriated elements of Disney’s Mickey Mouse, a decision influenced by the artist’s study of illustration at New York’s School of Visual Arts and his earlier career a freelance animation illustrator. According to the artist, the skull and crossbones motif and crossed out eyes are an attempt to utilize universally recognizable images and themes to communicate ideas succinctly and effectively across international audiences. The skull and crossbones and crossed out eyes are recurring symbols within the artist’s oeuvre and different iterations can be traced back to his roots in urban graffiti and street tags from the 1990s. Later, the artist incorporated the trademark imagery in further appropriations of popular cartoon characters, including his unique version of “the Simpsons” and characters from the iconic “Peanuts” comic strips.
The present rendition of Companion displays the vertical cross sectional anatomy of the cartoon figure’s body, exposing the figure’s internal organs on the viewer’s right-hand side, and concealing them on the viewer’s left. The work can be interpreted as a playful contemporary take on the ancient artistic trope of memento mori. Simultaneously Kaws delves into the extensive study and examination of anatomy within art history, dating back to the detailed anatomical dissections undertaken by Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo during the Italian Renaissance in the 16th Century. The work also evokes Damien Hirst’s cross sections of various animals and human figures in seminal pieces such as Mother and Child Divided (1993) and Hymn (1999-2005).
KAWS’ sculptural practice notably eschews themes of grandeur or heroism typically found in action figures and other toys, focusing instead on themes of melancholy, solitude, or mortality to highlight relatable and uniquely human emotions we can all identify with. The dichotomy between the artwork’s playful appearance and solemn symbolism is further emphasized by the the artwork’s toy-like appearance and use of fiberglass and rubberized paint instead of traditional sculptural materials like bronze, wood, or stone.
It’s also important to note KAWS’ use of scale, often used to convey mood and evoke emotional impact. His sculptures are almost never rendered in life size, instead they are produced at either ends of the spectrum of grand oversized sculptures or modest undersized figurines. In the present work, massive, oversized scale is employed to elicit feelings of grandeur and resplendence.
Over the course of KAWS’ storied career, the Companion figure has grown to become an important cultural symbol in its own right and has been adapted, transformed, and displayed in numerous public and institutional settings. Much like the artist himself, Companion has straddled the public, commercial, and Replica Handbags contexts, gracing the streets of New York in the form of a float at the 2012 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor as a giant inflatable in 2019. At the same t.mes , the Companion figure has also been featured in prominent solo shows at museums around the world including the High Museum of Art, Atlanta (2012); the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas (2016); the Yuz Museum, in Shanghai, China (2017); and the Brooklyn Museum, New York (2021).
KAWS’ ubiquitous Companion character has become an instantly recognizable trademark within the artists rich and varied oeuvre and has risen to become an iconic symbol of the artist’s inimitable work. Rooted in rich art historical traditions yet unmistakably contemporary, this pristine example stands out with its impactful scale and thematic acuity.
