KAWS Holiday UK
KAWS Holiday UK is a complete series of 3 works published in May 2021. The iconic KAWS character, the Companion, is presented in a standing position, eyes covered. The 3 works (black, brown and grey) are published by All Right Reserved, to commemorate the debut of KAWS's sculptural hot-air balloon, one of the world's largest at 42 meters high, which flies over the Bristol countryside.
In May 2021, for its sixth location, Brian Donnelly and long-time collaborator AllRightsReserved brought the COMPANION figurine to the UK, reinventing it in the form of a hot-air balloon.
“I'm pleased to be able to continue working on exciting projects like KAWS Holiday and hope it can bring inspiration to our current global situation”, said the artist in a statement. Measuring 42 meters in height, the sculptural balloon made its maiden flight in Bristol, the capital of hot-air ballooning.
The KAWS Holiday Hot-Air Balloon World Tour is now open to the public. It officially takes off in October 2021.
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Kaws Holiday UK is priced at around €1,000 in most of the galleries. Pay attention not to buy them at auctions or with online sellers, there are a lot of counterfakes on the market.
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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 UK figurines were launched in May 2021.
