KAWS The Promise
To mark the inauguration of the Kaws The Promise sculpture in the magnificent DADU garden in Doha (the capital of Qatar), a vinyl figurine was produced by street artist Kaws in partnership with the Asian company Medicom Toys. It was initially sold exclusively by the QATAR Museum of Contemporary Art store, then a few days later on the artist's website, KAWSONE.
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The vinyl sculptures are available in a limited edition of 500 (estimate provided by the artist), in three versions: The Promise Grey (grey figurines and blue globe), The Promise Black (black figurines and blue globe) and The Promise Brown (brown figurines and blue globe). These are the three color versions usually used by the artist in recent years (around ten years).
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The message conveyed by the artist with this sculpture is eminently ecological, as an adult Companion passes on planet Earth to his child (a smaller Companion). In so doing, the New York-based artist emphasizes the responsibility of current generations for the environment, and hence the quality of life, of future generations.
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The sculpture of the adult Companion holding the globe measures 34x16x24 cm, while the child receiving it measures 18x9x11 cm.
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The symbolic significance of this work, Kaws The Promise, by Brian Donelly (Kaws), has made it one of his most sought-after art toy figurines since its release. It currently sells for around €2,000, and its value on the contemporary art market continues to grow. Many collectors and fans of the artist consider the vinyl figurine to be one of the most successful in 20 years. With its two Companion characters, it will undoubtedly become one of the iconic works and an emblematic figure of street artist Kaws.
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 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), in collaboration with a manufacturer who often also handles marketing. Mostly made of vinyl, these works of art resist ageing very well, but you should avoid exposing them to direct sunlight for long periods. 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. This is one of the key elements in the authentication of these sculptures. The figurines making up The Promise were released in December 2022. They are now among the artist's most emblematic figures.