Name: Companion (pink)
Brand: KAWS
Rating: 5 (231 reviews)

Meaning & Analysis

Companion (pink) is a signed screen print in colours on woven paper which was made by the critically acclaimed American artist and designer, KAWS in 2001. The print depicts KAWS’ beloved cartoon character, Companion, which the artist created early in his artistic career in 1999. The print is rendered in pale pink and white and also comes in a grey version, Companion (grey). Companion can be seen standing upright in the centre of the composition with his hands on his hips, staring out at the viewer of the print.

Companion (pink) is part of the Companion collection, a body of artworks which all depict Companion in different styles and scenarios. This print is simple, opting to show Companion alone against a plain background. The print draws attention to the cartoon character’s distinct body shape, which is reminiscent of Mickey Mouse. Companion is also characterised by his skull and crossbone head and crossed out eyes, a repeated visual motif that runs through KAWS’ artworks.

Companion is arguably KAWS’ most famous cartoon character. In 1999, Japanese toy company Bounty Hunter produced a vinyl Companion toy. Companion continued to grow in popularity and in 2012, Companion was made into a balloon for the 2012 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, as part of its "Blue Sky Gallery" of balloons. Having already created oversized sculptures in the past, KAWS started producing additional sculptures of Companion for exhibitions in Switzerland, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Málaga, London and China.