KAWS Hangzhou 2026: KAWS’ Giant Robot COMPANION

KAWS and AllRightsReserved have announced a new chapter of the KAWS project in Hangzhou, China. From September 24 to 27, 2026, a monumental 30-metre-long COMPANION will be installed beside the famous West Lake. For this edition, KAWS transforms his iconic character into a Robot COMPANION for the first time, introducing a new silhouette that will also be released as limited-edition vinyl figures. A special KAWS Hangzhou collection will accompany the installation, with a worldwide launch scheduled for September 24, 2026. This new chapter continues the KAWS project developed with AllRightsReserved since 2018. To explore the artist’s work in greater detail, discover our selection of KAWS artworks and figures available at Class Art Biarritz.

KAWS arrives in Hangzhou in September 2026

The new KAWS installation takes place in Hangzhou, the capital of China’s Zhejiang province. The chosen location is particularly significant: the Robot COMPANION will be installed at “Orioles Singing in the Willows”, one of the Ten Scenes of West Lake. West Lake is a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape. The installation will be accessible free of charge from September 24 to 27, 2026. The dates coincide with the osmanthus flowering season and the period of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Both elements play a direct role in the concept of the artwork and explain several of the visual choices made for this new KAWS installation.

KAWS transforms COMPANION into a robot

The main innovation of KAWS Hangzhou is the transformation of the famous COMPANION. The character retains several distinctive features of the KAWS universe, including its instantly recognisable face and signature X-shaped eyes, but its body has been extensively redesigned. For Hangzhou, COMPANION takes on a robotic appearance composed of mechanical forms and elements reminiscent of futuristic armour. This transformation is not purely aesthetic. It refers to Hangzhou’s development in the fields of the digital economy, technological innovation and robotics. KAWS and AllRightsReserved thus connect a character that has been part of the artist’s work for decades with a defining contemporary characteristic of the city hosting the installation.

A monumental 30-metre sculpture beside West Lake

The Hangzhou Robot COMPANION measures approximately 30 metres in length. Like several previous KAWS installations, the character is depicted lying down. Resting on the grass, it looks towards the sky and the moon. This pose directly references the tradition of moon-gazing associated with the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. The colour of the installation was also chosen in relation to its location. The Robot COMPANION features a soft yellow tone inspired by osmanthus, Hangzhou’s emblematic flower, which blooms at this time of year. The installation therefore brings together several elements directly associated with Hangzhou: West Lake, osmanthus, the Mid-Autumn moon and the city’s technological identity.

West Lake: a historic setting for contemporary art

The choice of West Lake is an important part of the project. The West Lake Cultural Landscape has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2011. More specifically, the KAWS installation is announced for “Orioles Singing in the Willows”, also known as “Liulang Wenying”, one of the landscapes traditionally associated with the Ten Scenes of West Lake. The contrast is deliberate: a monumental sculpture representing a contemporary robot is installed within a historic Chinese landscape. This relationship between the artwork and its surroundings reflects the principle behind KAWS installations, whose different chapters are generally conceived in relation to the locations in which COMPANION is presented.

KAWS, a project developed with AllRightsReserved since 2018

The KAWS project has been developed by KAWS in collaboration with Hong Kong creative studio AllRightsReserved. Launched in 2018, the project notably involves presenting monumental COMPANION sculptures in different cities and landscapes around the world. Over the years, the character has appeared in locations including Seoul, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Changbai Mountain. A version of COMPANION has even been sent into the stratosphere. These installations allow KAWS to take his character beyond traditional exhibition spaces and place it within very different environments. In Hangzhou, this principle remains, but COMPANION itself evolves through the introduction of its new robotic form. To learn more about the artist’s career and major works, visit our page dedicated to KAWS and his artistic universe.

A new KAWS Robot COMPANION figure

As with several previous KAWS installations, the monumental artwork is accompanied by a collectible figure. For Hangzhou, KAWS and AllRightsReserved reproduce the new robotic appearance of the monumental COMPANION. The KAWS Hangzhou Robot COMPANION figure measures approximately 10 inches, or around 25 centimetres in height. Made from vinyl, it reproduces the mechanical structure specifically developed for this edition. Two versions have been announced: Robot COMPANION Yellow, featuring a glossy yellow finish, and Robot COMPANION Black, with a matte black finish. These two figures are the principal collectibles being released for KAWS Hangzhou.

Robot COMPANION Yellow and Robot COMPANION Black

The yellow version creates the most direct connection with the monumental West Lake installation. Its glossy finish reproduces the osmanthus-inspired colour used for the 30-metre COMPANION. The black version presents the same character with a much darker matte finish. The two editions therefore offer two contrasting interpretations of the same new sculpture. Each figure is announced in a specially designed plastic box featuring embossed details. Another important new feature concerns authentication: the KAWS Hangzhou Robot COMPANION figures are expected to incorporate an NFC chip allowing their authenticity to be verified.

An NFC chip to authenticate KAWS Hangzhou figures

The integration of an NFC chip is particularly noteworthy for KAWS collectors. The market for the artist’s figures has long been affected by counterfeit products, some of which closely imitate the packaging and visual characteristics of genuine editions. For the new Hangzhou Robot COMPANION figures, the announced NFC chip should provide an additional means of authentication. As with any KAWS edition, however, it remains important to keep the original packaging and all accompanying elements.

A KAWS Hangzhou collection beyond the figures

The launch is not limited to the two Robot COMPANION figures. KAWS and AllRightsReserved have developed a special collection for the Hangzhou edition. It includes a black-and-grey two-tone hoodie, a black-and-white cotton T-shirt and a ceramic mug. Other objects directly reference Chinese culture. A bronze incense holder will be sold in a wooden presentation box, while a tea set combines ceramic and wood. The latter notably includes a gaiwan, cups and a sculpted tray. The collection therefore creates a connection between products traditionally associated with KAWS and objects linked to local traditions.

KAWS and COMPANION: a character at the heart of the artist’s work

COMPANION is one of the best-known characters created by KAWS, the artistic name of Brian Donnelly. Its silhouette draws on certain visual codes associated with cartoons but is immediately recognisable through several recurring features, particularly its X-shaped eyes. Throughout his career, KAWS has continually transformed COMPANION: colours, dimensions, poses and materials vary from one artwork or edition to another. The character exists as vinyl figures, sculptures, monumental artworks and temporary installations. KAWS has played a major role in bringing monumental versions of COMPANION into public spaces. Hangzhou now introduces another transformation with the appearance of Robot COMPANION.

Why the Hangzhou Robot COMPANION represents an important evolution

The significance of the Hangzhou edition lies not simply in a new colour or a change of setting. Here, KAWS alters COMPANION’s morphology by giving it a genuinely robotic appearance for the first time within the project. The face and principal visual features that identify the character remain intact, while the body is restructured around mechanical forms. This new silhouette is used simultaneously for the monumental installation and the vinyl figures. It can therefore be regarded as a new and clearly identifiable variation of the character, alongside the many transformations KAWS has introduced throughout his career.

KAWS Hangzhou: dates and practical information

KAWS Hangzhou will take place from September 24 to 27, 2026 at “Orioles Singing in the Willows”, West Lake, Hangzhou, China. Access to the monumental installation is announced as free of charge. The principal sculpture is a yellow Robot COMPANION measuring approximately 30 metres in length. The KAWS Hangzhou collection will be released worldwide online on September 24 from 10 a.m. Hong Kong time, while the WESTLAKE 66 pop-up will open the same day at 2 p.m. and continue until October 7. The two main figures announced are the KAWS Hangzhou Robot COMPANION Yellow and KAWS Hangzhou Robot COMPANION Black, both measuring approximately 25 centimetres.

KAWS figures and artworks at Class Art Biarritz

Class Art Biarritz regularly presents KAWS figures, sculptures and editions, including different versions of COMPANION, BFF and editions connected with the KAWS project. Discover the KAWS figures and artworks currently available from our online shop. The new KAWS Hangzhou Robot COMPANION figures may join this selection depending on the pieces obtained following their official release. You can also read our KAWS biography and guide to his major artworks to place COMPANION and KAWS within the wider context of the artist’s career.