KAWS Passing Through

Released in 2018, the Kaws Passing Through figurines are smaller versions of the giant sculpture created by Kaws in 2010 (exhibited in numerous museums as part of temporary exhibitions, such as the Modern Art Museum in Hong Kong, the Museum of Modern Art in Forth Worth etc). It depicts one of the artist's most emblematic characters, the Companion, in the throes of great grief. Whether it's grief, divorce or something else, the interpretation is up to the viewer. The emblematic artist of the young New York scene didn't want to decide.

Today, it can be found in galleries for around €1,500.

 

In its vinyl art toy version, the figurine is offered as usual in three versions: grey, black and brown. Each version has its own rigid cardboard packaging, with a polystyrene receptacle molded to the shape of the sculpture inside. Each sculpture measures 20x15x15cm.

 

A limited edition of 500 was produced in collaboration with Medicom Toys, which was responsible for both production and worldwide marketing.

 

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 Passing Through figurine was released in September 2018. It is now one of the artist's iconic figures.