KAWS Holiday Japan
In 2019 Kaws is installing a 40-metre Companion sculpture in front of Mount Fuji, as part of a temporary exhibition. It was on display at Fumotoppara Camping. The Companion character by Kaws and AllRightsReserved put forward an immersive experience where art and nature meet. The installation played a major role in raising the artist's profile in Japan.
To accompany the performance, Kaws has designed 10 exclusive pieces available on DING DONG Takuhaibin (a website linked to AllRightsReserved). The collection includes a Mont Fuji cuddly toy (available in pink, blue and grey), a set of 3 Kokeshi Dolls featuring the Companion character, a 9.5" figurine of Companion in the same pose as his monumental version, ceramic dishes, mugs and Mont Fuji pins according to Kaws.
Kaws Holiday Japan is available in three versions: black, grey and brown. The figurine is produced in collaboration with AllRightsReserved, who will also be responsible for marketing it in Japan and the rest of the world. It measures 10x24x9 cm. This is one of the artist's least expensive figurines, probably because of its small size. It can be found for less than €1,000 in galleries.
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, penciling advertising posters for major brands on the streets of New York. Since the 2000s, he has produced some 50 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.). Particularly popular with collectors and contemporary art enthusiasts, these figurines have the advantage of being a very reasonably priced way to start a collection and enter the artist's world. They are generally published in limited editions of 500 copies (according to the artist), and they are edited in collaboration with a manufacturer who often also handles marketing, sales and distribution worldwide. Mostly made of vinyl material, these works of art resist ageing very well, but you should avoid exposing them to direct sunlight for long periods. It might cause a slight discoloration of the sculpture. Each version of the figurine, or art toy, has its own specially designed packaging, comprising a polystyrene receptacle with protective film, and a cardboard box with embossing. You have to keep the original packaging carefully as it is one of the most important authentication features of these sculptures. The Holiday Japan figurines were released in July 2019.
