KAWS - Modern & Contemporary Art Day Sale Hong Kong Saturday, June 1, 2024 | Phillips
  • “When I was younger, I wasn’t going to galleries, I wasn’t going to museums … There was a lot of ‘this is fine art’ or ‘this is not fine art’; ‘this is commercial’, ‘this is high art’. In my mind I thought, art’s purpose is to communicate and reach people. Whichever outlet that’s being done through is the right one.” 
    — KAWS 


     KAWS discusses the development of his artmaking practices and the incorporation of the skull as a recurring symbol in his work

    • Provenance

      Honor Fraser Gallery, Los Angeles
      Acquired from the above by the present owner

    • Artist Biography

      KAWS

      American • 1974

      To understand the work of KAWS is to understand his roots in the skateboard and graffiti crews of New York City. Brian Donnelly chose KAWS as his moniker to tag city streets beginning in the 1990s, and quickly became a celebrated standout in the scene. Having swapped spray paint for explorations in fine art spanning sculpture, painting and collage, KAWS has maintained a fascination with classic cartoons, including Garfield, SpongeBob SquarePants and The Simpsons, and reconfigured familiar subjects into a world of fantasy. 

      Perhaps he is most known for his larger-than-life fiberglass sculptures that supplant the body of Mickey Mouse onto KAWS' own imagined creatures, often with 'x'-ed out eyes or ultra-animated features. However, KAWS also works frequently in neon and vivid paint, adding animation and depth to contemporary paintings filled with approachable imagination. There is mass appeal to KAWS, who exhibits globally and most frequently in Asia, Europe and the United States.  

      View More Works

172

COMPANION (PASSING THROUGH)

incised with the artist's signature, date and number 'KAWS 11 3/10' on the underside
painted bronze
120 x 51 x 75 cm. (47 1/2 x 19 1/2 x 28 1/2 in.)
Executed in 2011, this work is number 3 from an edition of 10 plus 2 artist's proofs.

Full Cataloguing

Estimate
HK$1,500,000 - 2,500,000 
€177,000-295,000
$192,000-321,000

Sold for HK$2,032,000

Contact Specialist

Anastasia Salnikoff
Associate Specialist, Head of Day Sale
+852 2318 2014
anastasiasalnikoff@phillips.com
 

Modern & Contemporary Art Day Sale

Hong Kong Auction 1 June 2024