KAWS Gone

The small-scale GONE sculpture was released in 2019 at an exhibition in Australia, at the National Gallery in Victoria.

GONE depicts Companion holding in his arms a BFF character who isn't exactly in great shape (injured, or dead, in any case bruised). Originally produced in a large size, Kaws GONE now has a mini version, revisited in black, brown and grey. In the original version, the Companion character wears his colours in a shade of grey, while BFF sparkles in electric blue. Versions differ on the symbolic interpretation that can be given to this sculpture, but it is likely that the artist wanted to evoke notions of mutual aid and solidarity with the most fragile, or simply those who are suffering.

Kaws Gone was produced in a limited edition of 500, in collaboration with Medicom Toy. Medicom Toy was responsible for producing and marketing the figurines.

Kaws Gone came in three versions: black, blue and pink, each with its own distinctive rigid cardboard packaging. It is available from galleries for between €2,000 and €2,500. This is one of the most sought-after Kaws figurines. Measuring 38 cm, it is one of the largest of all the figurines produced by the artist, whether in limited series or not.

New York street artist Kaws emerged from the graffiti scene in the 1990s. A young artist influenced by pop art galleries, he began his career as a graffiti artist, pencilling advertising posters for major brands on the streets of New York. Since the 2000s, he has produced around fifty small sculptures, featuring his most significant large-scale works of art (often shown in temporary exhibitions), and of course his most popular characters (Companion, Chum, BFF, Accomplice etc). These figurines, which are particularly popular with collectors and contemporary art lovers, have the advantage of being a reasonably priced way of starting a collection and entering the artist's world. They are generally published in limited editions of 500 copies (according to the artist), in collaboration with a manufacturer who often also manages the marketing. Most of these art objects are made of vinyl and are highly resistant to ageing, although they should not be exposed to direct sunlight for long periods. Each version of figurine, or art toy, has its own specially designed packaging, comprising a polystyrene receptacle with protective film, and a cardboard box with embossing. This is one of the key elements in the authentication of these sculptures. The figurines making up Kaws Gone were released in September 2019. They are now among the artist's most emblematic works.