Gauntlet Gallery
What is KAWS’s piece called “Kaws Companion : Passing Through (Open Edition - Grey)”?
Summary
Passing Through is one of KAWS's most beloved Companion poses: the figure sits hunched with its gloved hands covering its face, knees drawn up, in a posture of weariness or quiet despair. This grey open-edition rendering presents that iconic seated form as an accessible vinyl figure derived from the larger Passing Through Companion sculpture. The Companion's Mickey-Mouse-inspired body and crossed-out X eyes are rendered in KAWS's clean, mass-produced finish, with the grey colorway giving it a muted, sculptural look. As an open edition, it was made in larger numbers than KAWS's limited drops, putting an instantly recognizable KAWS icon within reach of newer collectors.
Why It Matters
The Passing Through pose is among KAWS's signature images, the figure with its face buried in its hands, and it perfectly encapsulates why his work resonates: a cute, cartoon-bodied character expressing exhaustion, sadness, or shame. That emotional legibility, delivered through a friendly form, is the heart of KAWS's appeal. As an open edition, this grey version functions as a gateway object: it spreads one of his most important motifs to a wide audience while remaining affordable and collectible. Open editions are central to KAWS's democratizing strategy, blurring the line between fine art, designer toy, and consumer product, and they have helped build the enormous global fan base that underpins his market. For collectors, owning the Passing Through figure means holding one of the definitive KAWS poses, even in an accessible format, making it a frequent entry point and a fixture on shelves alongside other Companion variants.
Collector Perspective
This appeals strongly to entry-level and mid-tier KAWS collectors who want a recognizable, display-ready icon without the cost of limited drops. The seated, face-covering pose is visually compelling and reads instantly as KAWS, making it an excellent shelf or display piece. Its grey colorway is versatile and neutral, pairing well with brighter Companion variants in a grouped display. Within a collection, it serves as a foundational Companion: many collectors own multiple Passing Through colorways and sizes, and the open-edition grey is a logical anchor. Because it was produced in larger numbers, it carries less rarity premium, so buyers value it for completeness, display, and the strength of the pose rather than scarcity-driven appreciation.
Historical Context
The Companion is KAWS's central character, evolving from his late-1990s and 2000s vinyl figures into monumental sculptures and globally exhibited works. The Passing Through pose extends that lineage, translating the larger sculptural Companion into accessible editioned figures. This grey open edition belongs to KAWS's Toy and Vinyl era of practice, where designer-toy production drove his crossover into mainstream culture. It reflects the strategy that made KAWS a household name: taking a museum-scale, emotionally resonant sculpture and reissuing its form as a collectible object available to a broad public, bridging fine art and consumer culture.
FAQ
What pose is this?
It is the Passing Through pose, the seated Companion with its gloved hands covering its face, one of KAWS's most recognizable images of weariness or sorrow.
Does open edition mean it is not collectible?
It is still collectible, but open editions are produced in larger numbers than KAWS's limited drops, so they carry less rarity premium and are valued for display and the strength of the icon.
Why is the Passing Through figure significant?
It distills KAWS's core appeal, a friendly cartoon body expressing sadness, and derives from his larger Passing Through sculpture.
How does it fit in a KAWS collection?
It serves as a foundational, display-ready Companion that many collectors pair with other poses and colorways.
Related Works
About the Artist
KAWS is the working name of Brian Donnelly (b. 1974, Jersey City). He began in the 1990s subverting bus-shelter and phone-booth advertisements, then built a singular visual language around the Companion — a Mickey-Mouse-descended figure with crossed-out X eyes — alongside Chum, BFF, Accomplice and a cast of appropriated cartoon characters. His practice spans paintings, screenprints, vinyl and bronze sculpture, and the monumental KAWS:Holiday installations shown in cities worldwide. His work is held by the Brooklyn Museum, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, and major private collections, and he is among the most collected artists of his generation.