Glass fiber-reinforced plastic

128 x 58 x 37 cm. 50 3/8 x 22 7/8 x 14 5/8 in.

Signed in English and dated on bottom right； stamped with date and label on bottom left
Edition: 23/100


PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Asia

This work is accompanied by its original carton box

When Street Art Steps into the Mainstream
KAWS and
His Dream Factory
In 1962, Andy Warhol, the father of Pop Art, made everyday objects of American life the subjects of his art, such as the Campbell's soup can and Coca-Cola bottle. By arranging the duplicate images to fill the canvas, he has successfully made his works unforgettable at first sight and challenged the existing concept of Fine Art. While Brian Donnelly, born in 1974 in New Jersey and known professionally as KAWS, hold the same rebel spirit. Drawing inspiration from comics, cartoon, fashion trend and popular culture, he directly paints graffiti on fashion billboards. The sense of humor and witty irony in his work has brought KAWS instant popularity, in consequence of which street art enters the mainstream of contemporary art world. His works, with broad appeal, have been collected by Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and Brooklyn Museum in New York in recent years. In 2017, Yuz Museum in Shanghai mounted a major retrospective of KAWS, which became an instant hit in Asia. During this autumn auction, three works from his classic series, Companion, will be presented, offering a chance to look back to the evolution of his art in the past ten years.
The Sparks of Cross-Over
There are a variety of means to access to art. You don't only see it in the museum, but also hold it at home, even wear it on. Art exists in different ways.
—KAWS
In the 1990s, street graffiti alone could not satisfy KAWS's creative desires, which drove him to explore the “replicability” of art and pursue the sparks of cross-border cooperation. During this period, he began to cooperate with MEDICOM TOY, a Japanese toy company that created a series of Bearbrick and Marvel dolls. Henceforth, he entered the doll industry as an artist and completed the 1000% Companion （Lot116） in 2002, a limited edition sculpture from the early cooperation with MEDICOM TOY. In this work, KAWS modified the widely known image of Bearbrick -- the eyes are replaced with two large X letters, the teeth are shaped as of a skull and at the mouth appears an obscure yet amusing laugh, while the square limbs and erect body embody the product of mechanization.
An Ironic joke
The work 4 Foot Companion （Lot115）, created in 2007, is the most well-known example of the “Companion” series which has surpassed the so-called toy category. The limited edition work of 100 pieces is 120 cm in height, making the figure vivid and anthropomorphic. In this work, KAWS kept his characteristic color tones of gray and white, effectively drawing the viewers' attention to the face of the figure, in which the iconic eyes and mouth are placed. The artistically exaggerated giant ears further heighten dramatic effect, making it hard to overlook. With hands straight down, shoulders shrugged and upper body slightly leaning back, the figure postures as an obedient student, while the X shaped eyes and exposed teeth have sold everything: an obvious joke, an implicit sarcasm towards the society. The Companion of human beings has always been looking on our troubles with indifference. With a sense of existence to be reckoned with, he reminds people that it is more than just a display.
As Dr. Marla Price, the director of Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, USA, noted: “KAWS' work consistently shows his formal agility as an artist, as well as his underlying wit, bold gestures, and affection for our times... Above all, his work deeply touches everyone.” We feel connected with them, while they connect with the past and the present at the same time, being the companion and witness of our lives.
The Companions of Varied Gestures
Distorted Companion （Lot117） is a series of “Companion” from the collaboration of KAWS and Robert Lazzarini, an American contemporary artist. Lazzarini is adept at deforming objects, allowing viewers to re-examine the bits and pieces of everyday life and explore the other side of things through different forms, which is the case with “Distorted Companion.” The three figures of different shapes and gestures each stand by itself, flexible to posture distinctively. Like three naughty elves, they evoke the rebellious spirit hidden inside the heart of each viewer, as well as the fantasy of living unrestrained in a parallel world.

Price estimate:
HKD: 450,000 - 650,000
USD: 57,300 - 82,800

Auction Result:
HKD : 531,000