In the beginning, Brian Donnelly was just a kid from Jersey City, New Jersey, who got into the graffiti thing. KAWS was his tag, chosen simply because he liked the way it looked. Today, KAWS creates all kinds of art — there are KAWS figures and toys, sculptures and colorful drawings, paintings and prints that appropriate pop phenomena like the Smurfs, the Simpsons and SpongeBob SquarePants.
In the late 1990s, the artist, a 1996 graduate of New York’s School of Visual Arts, was making a living as an illustrator for the animation studio Jumbo Pictures. Like young Hansel and Gretel with their trail of crumbs, KAWS would mark the morning route to his downtown Manhattan office with “subvertising,” “interrupting” fashion advertisements by adding his colorful character Bendy, its sinuous length sliding playfully around the likes of a Calvin Klein perfume bottle or supermodel Christy Turlington.
These creations gained a following, to the point where work posted in the morning would disappear by lunchtime. Even in those early days, KAWS was hot on the resale market.
“When I was doing graffiti,” he once explained, “it meant nothing to me to make paintings if I wasn’t reaching people.”
Instead of seeking entrée to the elite New York art world (which, frankly, wasn’t looking for a street artist anyway), KAWS moved to Japan, where a flourishing youth culture welcomed visionaries like him.
In 1999, he partnered with Bounty Hunter, a Japanese toy and streetwear brand, to release his first toy. Companion — an eight-inch-tall vinyl reimagining of Mickey Mouse, with a skull-and-crossbones head and trademark XX eyes — debuted with a limited run of 500. It sold out quickly.
Companion was the first of more than 130 toy designs, which came to include such characters as Chum, Blitz, Be@rbrick, BFF and Milo, each immediately recognizable as KAWS figures by their XX eyes. Fans have proved insatiable. In 2017, MoMA’s online store announced the availability of a limited supply of KAWS Companion figures; as avid collectors logged on to stake their claim, the website crashed — multiple times.
Companion is the most visible of the KAWS posse, appearing over the past decade in new postures and combinations in monumental KAWS statues and other works. These include Along the Way (2013), an 18-foot-tall wooden sculpture of two Companions leaning on each other for support; Together (2016), two Companions in a friendly embrace, which debuted during an exhibition of KAWS’s work at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, in Texas; and KAWS:HOLIDAY (2018), a 92-foot-long inflatable Companion floating on its back in Seoul’s Seokchon Lake. The sculptures were re-created as toys, blurring the lines between art and commerce.
KAWS’s visual language may be drawn from cartoons, but his work doesn’t necessarily evoke childlike joy.
“My figures are not always reflecting the idealistic cartoon view that I grew up on,” he explains in the catalogue for the Fort Worth exhibition. “Companion is more real in dealing with contemporary human circumstances . . . . I think when I’m making work it also often mirrors what’s going on with me at that time.”
KAWS's résumé reads like a record of major 21st-century pop-culture moments. It includes his work with streetwear brands like A Bathing Ape and Supreme; his design for the cover of Kanye West’s 2008 album, 808s & Heartbreak; and his collaboration with designer Kim Jones on the Dior Homme Spring/Summer 2019 collection, Jones’s debut as the fashion brand’s creative director.
Learn how to spot a fake KAWS art toy, and browse authentic KAWS figures, prints, sculptures and mixed media works on 1stDibs.
KAWS SEPARATED set of 2 works (KAWS Separated Companion set)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS SEPARATED (Set of 2 Works: Black & Grey): each new & unopened in original packaging: These highly collectible KAWS SEPARATED figures are derived fr...
Resin, Vinyl
Companion Flayed (Gray)
By KAWS
Located in Boston, MA
Artist: KAWS, Title: Companion Flayed (Gray) Series: Toys Date: 2016 Medium: Sculpture Unframed Dimensions: 11" x 5" x 3" Signature: Stamped Edition: Open Edition
PVC
$7,500
alone time
By KAWS
Located in New York, NY
Alone Time, 2022 Signed and Numbered Bronze H 1 x W 5.3 x D 5.7 inches Edition 243 of 250
Bronze
$2,000
BFF (Pink)
By KAWS
Located in Boston, MA
Artist: KAWS, Title: BFF (Pink) Series: Toys Date: 2018 Medium: Sculpture Unframed Dimensions: 13.5" x 5" x 3.5" Signature: Stamped Edition: Open Edition
PVC
Brian Donnelly "Kaws Brooklyn Charity Print" Tondo
By KAWS
Located in Draper, UT
Brian Donnelly Kaws Brooklyn Charity Print MINT CONDITION Signed and Stamped Unnumbered and as issued. This limited edition print measures approx 8" di...
Screen
KAWS Companion 2016 (set of 2 works)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS Companion 2016:Set of 2 works. Each new and sealed in its original packaging. Published by Medicom Japan in conjunction with the exhibition, KAWS: Where The End Starts at the Mo...
Resin, Vinyl
$2,080Sale Price|20% Off
KAWS Gone Brown Figure, Pop Art Vinyl & Resin, 14in, Unsigned, 2010+
By KAWS
Located in Dallas, TX
KAWS Gone- Brown version New on its original packaging. Medium: Vinyl & Cast Resin Open unknown edition Unsigned
Resin, Vinyl
KAWS TAKE Companion (KAWS black companion)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS TAKE (Black) new & unopened in its original packaging. A standout KAWS Companion figure and variation of KAWS' large scale TAKE sculpture - a key highlight of the exhibition, '...
Resin, Vinyl
KAWS Along The Way: complete set of 3 (KAWS Companion Along The Way set)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS Along The Way: Complete Set of 3 works: new and unopened in original packaging. The KAWS Along The Way figurine is a rendition of the artist's 2013 18 foot wood sculpture origin...
Resin, Vinyl
KAWS - Holiday: Singapore (Brown Edition) - Pop Art
By KAWS
Located in Asheville, NC
KAWS - Holiday: Singapore (Brown Edition) - Pop Art Artists KAWS Edition Details Year: 2021 Class: Toy Status: Official Released: 11/13/21 Paper: Vinyl Abo...
Resin, Plastic
$1,200Sale Price|20% Off
KAWS Blush 2016 & KAWS WHAT PARTY white (set of 2 works)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS Red Blush Companion 2016 & KAWS WHAT PARTY white: set of two individual works: Each piece is ew and sealed in its original packaging. The K...
Resin, Vinyl
$1,000Sale Price|20% Off
KAWS Small Lie Black Version Sculpture, Resin and Vinyl Paint, 2010+
By KAWS
Located in Dallas, TX
In December 2017, KAWS released a new version of his classic companion character, titled "Small Lie". The figure features the companion slumped over in what appears to be a disappoin...
Resin, Vinyl
KAWS - Holiday: Singapore (Black Edition) - Pop Art
By KAWS
Located in Asheville, NC
KAWS - Holiday: Singapore (Black Edition) - Pop Art Artists KAWS Edition Details Year: 2021 Class: Toy Status: Official Released: 11/13/21 Paper: Vinyl Abo...
Resin, Plastic
KAWS - Holiday: Singapore (Grey Edition) - Pop Art
By KAWS
Located in Asheville, NC
KAWS - Holiday: Singapore (Grey Edition) - Pop Art Artists KAWS Edition Details Year: 2021 Class: Toy Status: Official Released: 11/13/21 Paper: Vinyl Abou...
Resin, Plastic
$1,160Sale Price|29% Off
KAWS - Share Figure - Brown Version _Brand new collectible
By KAWS
Located in Dallas, TX
KAWS SHARE (Brown version), new & unopened in its original packaging: KAWS SHARE first appeared in 'BLACKOUT' – the first London solo exhibition by KAWS (Skarstedt London 2019). In S...
Resin, Vinyl
Kubrick 100% and Bus Stop 2
By KAWS
Located in Washington , DC, DC
Paying homage to KAWS’s humble beginnings as a bus stop advert augmenter and graffiti artist, the “Bus Stop” series features a plastic bus stop and two KA...
Plastic
$2,600Sale Price|20% Off
KAWS TOGETHER 2018 (set of 2 works new in original packaging)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS Together: Set of 2 works (Black and Grey). New and unopened in their original packaging. In TOGETHER, KAWS’s iconic “Companions” are interlocked, consoling each other in an eve...
Resin, Vinyl
KAWS x Supreme Chalk Logo Skateboard Deck Pink
By KAWS
Located in Dubai, Dubai
Chalk Logo Skateboard Deck, Pink By KAWS KAWS, the pseudonym of American artist Brian Donnelly, is widely recognized for his distinctive blend of street art and pop culture iconog...
Plywood
KAWS GONE & KAWS BFF Companions (set of 2 works)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS GONE Brown & KAWS Blue BFF Companions (set of 2 works 2017-2019): Medium: Vinyl paint & Cast Resin (applies to each work). Published 2017 & 2019, respectively. GONE: 14.25 x 7 ...
Resin, Vinyl
KAWS SHARE set of 2 works (KAWS Share companion)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS SHARE Companion (Set of 2: Black & Grey): Set of 2 KAWS SHARE figurative sculptures, each new & unopened in its original packaging. KAWS SHARE first appeared in 'BLACKOUT' – th...
Resin, Vinyl
400% Gray Bearbrick
By KAWS
Located in Washington , DC, DC
Stamped on back leg "KAWS.02" "MEDICOM TOY 2002" Open unknown edition Unsigned
Plastic
YoungArts x KAWS, Untitled from Together, A Short Film, 2021
By KAWS
Located in Washington , DC, DC
Unique 1/1 digital print produced from a single frame from "Together", an animated short film featuring various artists. Each print is a one of a kind work of art with certificate of...
Digital
KAWS Companion 2016: set of 4 works (KAWS companion set)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS Companions 2016 (Set of 4 individual works): KAWS Companion: Brown, Black, Grey & Red full body 2016 - each, new and sealed in their original packaging. These iconic KAWS figura...
Resin, Vinyl
KAWS, Die Welt – Signed Print
By KAWS
Located in Hamburg, DE
KAWS (American, b. 1974) Die Welt, 2025 Medium: Archival pigment print on paper Dimensions: 57.3 × 40.2 cm (22 3/5 × 15 4/5 in) Edition of 100: Hand-signed and numbered Condition: Mint
Archival Pigment
Accomplice (pink) by KAWS
By KAWS
Located in Dubai, Dubai
Accomplice (pink) By KAWS 2002 Signed in plate Vinyl, paint 23 x 7 x 6 cm Edition of 1000
Vinyl
Complete Set of the "Changbai Mountain" KAWS Sculptures in 3 Colorways Korea
By KAWS
Located in Draper, UT
Released as a special edition in Korea in conjunction with the Snowy Mountain installation (pictured) Set of 3 Sculptures in Original Packaging and Sealed Unused, Undisplayed Stands ...
Vinyl
KAWS Bus Stop 2002
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS 'Bus Stop' 2002: Paying homage to KAWS’ early days as graffiti artist, the “Bus Stop” features a plastic bus stop and two KAWS toys on the platform. Features iconic KAWS heads, ...
Resin, Vinyl
Companion (Brown) Open Edition
By KAWS
Located in Washington , DC, DC
Companion (Brown) Open unknown edition Unsigned
Plastic
KAWS Exposed 1999 (early KAWS artist book)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS EXPOSED: KAWS Artist Monograph, 1st edition, 1999: KAWS Exposed 1999: A highly collectible & much sought after photo-book of KAWS 1990’s street art - this publication uniquely stands out as the artist’s first monograph; featuring brilliant photos of 31 of KAWS’ ‘augmented’ posters – the original phone-booth and bus-shelter posters that would first put the artist on the map. Cover image: KAWS Running Chum. Softcover; offset printed artist book. 30+ pages. English. 6 x 9 inches. A fine impression in very good overall vintage condition. Unsigned from an edition of 2000. Published Colette Paris, 1999. More on KAWS: KAWS is an American graffiti artist and designer known for his toys, paintings, and prints. Born Brian Donnelly on November 4, 1974 in Jersey City, NJ, KAWS graduated with a BFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York and went on to work in animation. “When your whole art is based on the lettering you choose, you kinda figure out what ones work together. I just liked the shapes of the k, a, w, s,” he explained of his moniker. Having started as a graffiti artist in New York in the early 1990s, KAWS began reworking advertisements in his distinctive style. Pop Art and culture permeate his cartoonish Companion series of figurines, which bear a resemblance to the works of Takashi Murakami. KAWS worked together with Nike in 2017 to produce an Air Jordan 4 shoe and has done multiple collaborations with the clothing brand Uniqlo, continuing to blur the boundaries between fine and commercial art. The artist is also known for his large scale public installations, such as 2019’s KAWS: Holiday which was installed in the Hong Kong harbor during Basel Hong Kong. In 2019, THE KAWS ALBUM (2005) sold at auction for a record $14.8 million, breaking his previous record of $2.7 million which was set in 2018. This work is a take on the Beatles' famous 1967 album cover for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, but instead replaced with characters from The Simpsons with the artist's signature Xs drawn across their eyes and skull. After years in the industry, KAWS gained approval from his peers in the street art world and more recently prestige from the museum and gallery worlds. Today, his work can be found in the collections at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, and the Rosenblum Collection in Paris. KAWS currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. Related Categories: KAWS 1999...
Paper
KAWS UK Holiday Black (KAWS Holiday UK)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS: HOLIDAY United Kingdom Black (KAWS UK): KAWS' signature character COMPANION presented in an upright standing position with its eyes covered. New in thei...
Resin, Vinyl
KAWS -- Companion vs Astroboy
By KAWS
Located in BRUCE, ACT
KAWS Companion vs Astroboy, 2002 Screen print on black stock paper Hand signed and dated in pencil on right Unnumbered, from the edition of 50 Sheet size: 90 x 65.7 cm Published by ...
Screen
5 Years Later Companion - Black
By KAWS
Located in Boca Raton, FL
KAWS Five Years Later Companion Vinyl Figure Black
Resin
KAWS The Promise: complete set of 3 works (KAWS Companion set)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS The Promise (complete set of 3 works): A unique KAWS Companion set in the artist’s signature brown, black & grey color ways. KAWS The Promise features a blue & green globe being...
Resin, Vinyl
$3,500
Take (Black)
By KAWS
Located in Washington , DC, DC
Take (Black) Open unknown edition Unsigned
Resin, Vinyl
Small Lie Brown
By KAWS
Located in Washington , DC, DC
Small Lie Brown Open unknown edition Unsigned
Paint, Vinyl
KAWS Passing Through Companion 2018 (KAWS companion)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS Grey Passing Through Companion 2018. New and sealed in its original packaging. The most iconic of the KAWS Companions, this passing through piece was published by KAWS One Med...
Resin, Vinyl
YoungArts x KAWS, Untitled from Together, A Short Film, 2021
By KAWS
Located in Washington , DC, DC
Unique 1/1 digital print with art from KAWS, produced from a single frame from "Together", an animated short film featuring various artists. Each print is a one of a kind work of art...
Digital
KAWS Gone Grey Figure, Pop Art Vinyl & Resin, Unsigned, 14in, 2010+
By KAWS
Located in Dallas, TX
KAWS Gone- Grey version New on its original packaging. Medium: Vinyl & Cast Resin Open unknown edition Unsigned
Resin, Vinyl
KAWS -- Astro Boy, Painted Cast Vinyl Sculpture, Limited Edition 300, 2012
By KAWS
Located in BRUCE, ACT
KAWS Astro Boy, 2012 Painted cast vinyl Size 37.5 × 15.2 × 11e cm From Limited edition 300 with 'Medicom Toy 2012 China' and 'Tezuka Productions Designed by Kaws' stamp on the under...
Plastic, Vinyl
KAWS Companion Flayed & Companion Editions Vinyl Figure Complete Set of 8 Sealed
By KAWS
Located in Draper, UT
Package Dimensions 14.25 x 8.58 x 3.62 inches Item Weight 1.17 pounds Sculptures are in Pristine Condition and have been stored safely since 2016. The figures are both sealed in cl...
Vinyl
KAWS Hand Signed Book Contemporary Street Art
By KAWS
Located in Draper, UT
The definitive study of the work of KAWS, one of the most influential and much-loved forces in contemporary art and culture. This edition has been signed by KAWS. KAWS is one of the...
Archival Paper
KAWS SMALL LIE Brown & KAWS Along The Way Brown (2 works)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS SMALL LIE Companion & KAWS Along The Way Brown (2 works): This curated grouping features two of KAWS' iconic pieces: KAWS’s Small Lie features the Pinocchio-inspired figure bows...
Resin, Vinyl
$2,120Sale Price|25% Off
KAWS Clean Slate Black Vinyl Figure, Pop Art, 2010s, Unsigned, 14.25"
By KAWS
Located in Dallas, TX
KAWS Clean Slate (Black), new & unopened in its original packaging. Sold Out after the artist's retrospect exhibition at the Modern Art Museum of Fo...
Resin, Vinyl
KAWS SPACE HOLIDAY SET GOLD, BLACK, SILVER Full set Contemporary Street Art
By KAWS
Located in Draper, UT
Space Holiday Hong Kong KAWS Open unknown edition Unsigned
Polyurethane
$1,088Sale Price|20% Off
KAWS BAPE Dissected Milo (Brown)
By KAWS
Located in BRUCE, ACT
KAWS BAPE Dissected Milo (Brown) 2011 Painted cast resin Size: 19 x 16.5 cm Stamped on the underside of the feet Come with the original box KAWS Dissected Milo was born out of a col...
Resin
$3,300Sale Price|25% Off
KAWS "Together (Brown)" Toy Sculpture
By KAWS
Located in Boston, MA
Artist: KAWS, Title: Together (Brown) Series: Toys Date: 2018 Medium: Sculpture Unframed Dimensions: 10" x 8" x 5" Signature: Stamped Edition: Open Edition KAWS (American, ...
PVC
$1,980Sale Price|25% Off
KAWS "Small Lie (Brown)" Toy Sculpture
By KAWS
Located in Boston, MA
Artist: KAWS, Title: Small Lie (Brown) Series: Toys Date: 2017 Medium: Sculpture Unframed Dimensions: 11" x 5" x 4.5" Signature: Stamped Edition: Open Edition KAWS (America...
PVC
$4,680Sale Price|20% Off
KAWS - Clean Slate - Set of 3 - Grey and Black Version
By KAWS
Located in Dallas, TX
KAWS Clean Slate - set of 3 (Grey, Black & Brown version), new & unopened in its original packaging. Sold Out versions after the artist's retrospect exhibition at the Modern Art Muse...
Resin, Vinyl
KAWS:Holiday UK Ceramic Container set of 2
By KAWS
Located in Washington , DC, DC
Set of 2 large 17 inch tall glazed ceramic containers. Each comes as two pieces which would be stacked together. With original boxes. Edition of 100...
Ceramic
KAWS UK Holiday Companion Brown (KAWS holiday)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS: HOLIDAY United Kingdom Brown (KAWS UK): KAWS' signature character COMPANION presented in an upright standing position with its eyes covered. New in their original packaging - ...
Resin, Vinyl
$9,000Sale Price|40% Off
UNTITLED (SNOOPY)
By KAWS
Located in Aventura, FL
Screen print cutout on Saunders Waterford 425gm HP Hi-White paper. Hand signed, dated and numbered by the artist. Artwork size 10.5 x 8 inches. Custom framed as pictured. Frame si...
Paper, Screen
KAWS Book Phaidon Edition Brooklyn What Party Signed Edition Of 500
By KAWS
Located in Draper, UT
Condition: Book is in pristine condition and only opened to photograph the signature. Signature: Hand-signed by artist, Hand Signed By The Artist in Black Sharpie, KAWS 2021...
Black and White
Complete Set of 2 Kachamukku Authentic KAWS Art Sculptures
By KAWS
Located in Draper, UT
KAWS teamed up with Hirake! Ponkikki’s Gachapin and Mukku for the release of his Kachamukku figures. KAWS KACHAMUKKU figures released in a green and re...
Plastic, Vinyl
KAWS BFF Vinyl Companions (KAWS Set of 2)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS BFF Blue & Pink (set of 2), each new, unopened in original packaging. KAWS BFF is a well-received work and variation of KAWS' large-scale sculpture in Los Angeles's Playa Vista neighborhood. Medium: Vinyl Paint, Cast Resin. Published by Medicom Japan. 2017. 13 x 5.7 x 3.25 inches (applies to each individual). Unopened; excellent condition. From a sold out un-numbered edition. New and sealed in their original packaging. Shipped securely from New York, NY. A leading artist of his generation, Brooklyn-based KAWS engages audiences beyond the museums and galleries in which he regularly exhibits. KAWS is perhaps best known for his iconic character, Companion, which is featured in key paintings, sculptures, products, and toy figures...
Resin, Vinyl
KAWS "What Party" Brooklyn Vinyl Figure Street Art Yellow 20th Anniversary
By KAWS
Located in Draper, UT
KAWS Chum Vinyl Figure (20th Anniversary) Yellow Artist: KAWS Medium: Painted Rotocast Vinyl Title: Chum Vinyl Figure Yellow Portfolio: Chum Figures (20th Anniversary) Edition: Open edition Image Size: 11 1/2" × 7 3/4" × 3 1/2" Signed: Stamped Signature Each figure stands at 11.3 x 5.1 x 3.7 inches tall, and showcases the Chum character bent over...
Vinyl
$3,630Sale Price|25% Off
KAWS "Time Off (Pink)" Toy Sculpture
By KAWS
Located in Boston, MA
Artist: KAWS, Title: Time Off (Pink) Series: Toys Date: 2023 Medium: Sculpture Unframed Dimensions: 7" x 11" x 6" Signature: Stamped Edition: Open Edition KAWS (American, b...
PVC
KAWS Clean Slate Black (KAWS black clean slate companion)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS Clean Slate (Black), new & unopened in its original packaging. A well-received work and variation of KAWS' large scale Clean Slate sculpture - a key highlight of KAWS’ major mu...
Resin, Vinyl
KAWS GONE Grey (KAWS grey & pink gone companion)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS Grey GONE, new & unopened in its original packaging (KAWS Grey & Pink GONE). This standout KAWS figurative sculpture is a well-received work and variation of KAWS' large scale ...
Resin, Vinyl
$2,500
Small Lie Mono
By KAWS
Located in Washington , DC, DC
Small Lie Mono Open unknown edition Unsigned
Paint, Vinyl
KAWS TOGETHER Grey (KAWS grey together)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS TOGETHER Companion 2018: A rare sealed/unopened example in excellent condition. Medium: Vinyl Paint & Cast Resin. 10 x 8 inches. New/sealed in its original packaging; packagi...
Resin, Vinyl