KAWS Companion: History, Models, Editions and the Most Sought-After Sculptures

KAWS Companion is the signature character of Brian Donnelly, the American artist known as KAWS. Recognisable by its crossed-out eyes, skull-like head and cartoon proportions, it first appeared as a vinyl figure in 1999. Since that first edition, Companion has become the subject of collectible sculptures, monumental artworks and installations in public spaces. Behind this instantly recognisable silhouette, however, are very different models, from the early Bounty Hunter editions to Five Years Later, Companion Flayed, Clean Slate, Along the Way and Companion 2020. Understanding these differences helps collectors appreciate the work and compare KAWS Companion figures accurately.

KAWS, Along the Way, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, 2016. Photo: Graham Hogg, via Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 2.0 — source. Photograph reproduced without modification.

The history of KAWS Companion from the first figure in 1999

The history of Companion follows KAWS’ transition from graffiti and interventions on advertising posters to three-dimensional objects. During the 1990s, the artist added his own motifs to advertisements. Skulls, bone-like shapes and crossed-out eyes gradually formed a visual vocabulary that he later brought into sculpture.

In 1999, Bounty Hunter produced the first Companion figure in Japan. Auction records document Brown, Black and Grey versions. A Brown example described by Heritage Auctions measures approximately 19 centimetres and comes from an edition of 500. This first model is an important reference for collectors, marking the character’s beginnings as an art toy. The Heritage Auctions listing for the 1999 Companion Brown documents this production.

These Japanese origins help explain KAWS’ place in collectible figure culture. Companion developed at the intersection of art, design, urban culture and editioned objects. To place this history within the artist’s wider career, explore our KAWS biography.

What makes KAWS Companion so recognisable

Companion combines familiar shapes with unsettling details. Its gloves, shoes and shorts recall American cartoons. The head, however, replaces conventional cartoon expressions with crossed-out eyes and bone-like forms projecting from either side.

This simplicity places particular emphasis on the body. A standing Companion, a seated character with its face in its hands and two figures leaning against each other create different impressions. Emotion is conveyed through the tilt of the head, the position of the arms and the relationship between the characters.

The National Gallery of Victoria highlights this aspect in its presentation of KAWS’ work. Behind the playful appearance of the figures are themes of isolation, vulnerability and loneliness. These interpretations help illuminate the character without imposing a single meaning on every sculpture.

The main KAWS Companion models and editions

Companion 1999 and the first generation

The 1999 Companion figures are particularly significant for their place in the artist’s chronology. Their small size and proportions distinguish them from later versions. Identifying an example requires examining its colour, dimensions, markings under the feet and the packaging associated with that release.

The term “first Companion” should be reserved for this generation. A more recent standing figure does not become a first edition simply because it adopts a similar pose. The date and specific version are decisive.

Five Years Later Companion and the 2004 redesign

Five Years Later Companion, often abbreviated to “5YL”, marks a new stage in the character’s development. Its silhouette becomes bulkier and its proportions change. Phillips documents a Brown example from 2004, produced by Medicom Toy, measuring 36 centimetres and issued as a limited edition.

This model demonstrates why the name “Companion” alone is insufficient to describe an artwork. A 1999 figure and a Five Years Later differ both in sculptural form and production context. For collectors, these two generations represent distinct areas of interest.

Companion Flayed and the exposed anatomy

Companion Flayed reveals a stylised anatomy on one half of the character’s body. The contrast between its outer surface and internal elements changes the way the figure is perceived. It retains its cartoon appearance while recalling an anatomical model.

The terms “Flayed” and “Dissected” appear in descriptions of different releases. Collectors should therefore check the full title, year and size rather than treat every anatomical figure as part of the same edition.

The 2016 Companion Flayed Open Edition figures described by Phillips are painted vinyl works manufactured by Medicom Toy. They should be distinguished from earlier anatomical releases and larger versions. A similar appearance does not imply the same edition size or a comparable value.

Companion Open Edition figures from 2016

The 2016 Companion Open Edition releases form another important group. Phillips records Black, Brown and Grey variants, as well as Flayed and Blush versions, with markings that include KAWS, the year 2016, Medicom Toy and the words Open Edition.

These figures illustrate an essential point: an authentic KAWS artwork can belong to an open edition. The absence of an individual edition number is therefore not, by itself, evidence that a figure is inauthentic.

Clean Slate and the Companion carrying two figures

Clean Slate depicts a large Companion carrying two smaller figures. The composition can suggest protection, responsibility or the weight of human relationships. This interpretation comes from the arrangement of the bodies and gestures rather than facial expression.

The different versions of this composition must be distinguished. The NGV presents a bronze Clean Slate dated 2015, while Phillips describes vinyl versions from 2018 measuring approximately 35 centimetres and issued as an Open Edition. A shared title does not identify a single object.

Along the Way and two Companions supporting each other

Along the Way depicts two Companions standing side by side, with one placing an arm around the other. The closeness of their bodies gives the composition a sense of support and companionship.

The 2019 vinyl editions include Grey, Brown and Black versions. Christie’s describes these Along the Way figures as Open Editions produced by Medicom Toy, measuring approximately 27 centimetres in height. An elaborate composition featuring several characters is therefore not necessarily a limited edition.

KAWS, Along the Way (2013), photographed at Yorkshire Sculpture Park in 2016. Photo: David Dixon, via Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 2.0 — source. Photograph reproduced without modification.

Gone brings Companion and BFF together

Gone brings together Companion and BFF, another KAWS character. Companion holds BFF in its arms, creating a composition whose posture can suggest loss, compassion or protection.

The work exists at different scales. In 2019, the National Gallery of Victoria presented a monumental seven-metre bronze Gone. The museum compared its composition to the pose of a Pietà. This work demonstrates how a character that began as a collectible figure can become the subject of monumental sculpture.

Companion 2020 and the figure lying face down

Companion 2020 is immediately distinguishable from the standing models: the character lies face down. This position changes its relationship with the surrounding space and gives the body a very different presence.

The title “Companion 2020” should not be confused with a general description of every Companion figure produced that year. Here, the name refers to a specific model. Our KAWS Companion 2020 Brown product page shows its composition and characteristics.

KAWS Holiday projects and collectible sculptures

KAWS:HOLIDAY is a series of projects that place the character in landscapes and public spaces. Locations, poses and compositions vary between editions of the project. The public installation should be distinguished from the collectible objects associated with it.

In Thailand, the KAWS:HOLIDAY installation was presented at Sanam Luang in Bangkok from 13 to 25 May 2025, in collaboration with AllRightsReserved and Central Embassy. The Tourism Authority of Thailand documents this stage in the history of the character’s public installations.

The country name alone is not always sufficient to identify a Holiday figure. The title, year, colour, dimensions and production details need to be considered together. Explore several of these models in our selection of KAWS sculptures and figures.

Limited editions open editions and numbering explained

A limited edition has a defined production quantity. An Open Edition is issued without an announced numerical limit under that designation. This does not mean that it will be manufactured indefinitely or remain permanently available.

Individual numbering provides additional information. A limited edition may not have individually numbered examples. A catalogue entry can therefore state an edition of 100 even if the object does not bear a number such as “12/100”.

The Four Foot Companion releases from 2007 illustrate this distinction. Examples are documented as editions of 100, with dimensions of approximately 1.20 metres or more depending on the catalogue entry and measurement used. Identification should be based on the record for the specific version concerned.

A marking bearing KAWS’ name is not equivalent to a handwritten signature. Precise descriptions distinguish moulded, printed or stamped inscriptions from a signature added by hand. These terms are not interchangeable.

Which KAWS Companion figures are most sought after

There is no universal ranking of the most sought-after KAWS Companion figures. Demand varies over time and between countries, budgets and collecting categories. It is more accurate to distinguish the different reasons collectors seek particular models.

The first editions from 1999 attract interest for their historical importance. Five Years Later figures trace the evolution of the silhouette. Flayed versions stand out for their anatomical construction. Large Four Foot editions appeal to collectors seeking a stronger sculptural presence. Compositions such as Along the Way, Clean Slate and Gone also attract interest through the relationships they depict.

Rarity must nevertheless be established for each specific release. An item being out of stock at one retailer does not prove that its edition is rare on the market. Likewise, a colour that appears infrequently in one gallery’s selection is not automatically the most sought after internationally.

Visual popularity, rarity and price should also be considered separately. A widely recognised figure may belong to an open edition, while an early release that is less familiar to the general public may have particular historical significance.

How to assess KAWS Companion prices

Assessing a price begins with identifying the object accurately. Model, year, material, size, colour and edition type provide the basis for any comparison. Condition, provenance and the presence of the original packaging must then be considered.

Auction archives show why a single sale cannot establish a general market value. Heritage Auctions records results of US$7,500 in November 2018 and US$3,000 in November 2022 for 1999 Companion Brown figures. The examples differ in condition and documentation. In particular, the 2018 result concerns an object whose box was signed and dated by KAWS. These historical sales are not a current valuation of another example. The November 2022 auction result provides the details of that specific lot.

It is also necessary to distinguish an asking price, an auction estimate and a sale result. A listing states the amount requested by a seller. An auction result records a transaction under specific conditions. Comparisons should take into account the date, fees, currency and contents of the lot, especially when several figures are sold together.

For a fuller discussion, read our article on KAWS artwork prices, covering figures, prints and paintings.

How to check the authenticity of a KAWS Companion

The examination begins with a simple question: which specific release is the object supposed to be? Without that identification, it is difficult to compare proportions, markings and packaging accurately.

Photographs should show the complete sculpture, the undersides of the feet, the joints, paint details and all sides of the box. The advertised model should be consistent with its documented characteristics.

Packaging provides useful information, but its presence alone is not sufficient proof of authenticity. A seller-issued certificate should also be assessed according to who issued it and the evidence supporting it. The original invoice, ownership history and purchase documents can help establish the object’s provenance.

No single detail can authenticate every KAWS figure. The absence of a handwritten signature may be normal for a particular release. Conversely, a marking under the foot does not remove the need to examine the rest of the piece. Authentication depends on a consistent body of evidence.

The differences between Companion BFF and Chum

Not every character with crossed-out eyes created by KAWS is a Companion. BFF is distinguished by its fur-like surface, while Chum has a body made up of stacked, rounded forms.

Composition titles should also be distinguished from character names. Along the Way is a work featuring two Companions. Gone brings together Companion and BFF. Holiday refers to a series of projects. These distinctions prevent sculptures from different families being grouped under one name.

Another character from KAWS’ universe: Small Lie, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, 2016. Photo: David Dixon, via Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 2.0 — source. Photograph reproduced without modification.

Choosing a KAWS Companion sculpture

A collection can focus on the character’s beginnings, its anatomical transformations, different poses or compositions featuring several figures. The choice can therefore follow a clear collecting interest, alongside considerations of budget and available space.

Before buying, a complete description should identify the title, year, dimensions, material, colour, edition details, condition and available documentation. This information makes comparisons clearer and establishes the object’s place in the history of Companion.

Class Art Biarritz presents a selection of KAWS artworks that explores several of the artist’s characters and compositions. For a specific enquiry, contact the gallery to discuss the model you are looking for and the characteristics of the example offered.