Dissected Companion: 400% Bearbrick (Brown)

KAWS is a multi-faceted New York-based artist and designer, ranked as a highly influential figure in the contemporary urban art scene. Starting his career in the ‘90s as a freelance animator by day and a graffiti artist by night, he is regarded as one of the most successful cross-over artists of our generation. KAWS has achieved street and gallery accreditation with his distinctive and sophisticated graphics. He is widely recognized for the repeated use of a hybrid cast of well-known cartoons, mascots, and human characters, resulting in the creation of a unique and universal visual language. Collaborating with global brands, KAWS challenges our conception of ‘high’ and ‘low’ art. His paintings, although abstract at first sight, are a deconstruction of appropriated pop culture characters into layers of abstract shapes.
This sculpture, created of cast vinyl, looks more like a toy than like high art. But don’t be fooled – this piece is a classic example of KAWS’s work, drawing on one of his most utilized characters – Mickey Mouse. The right side of Mickey features his exterior, composed of more geometric shapes, and the left side shows what is happening under Mickey’s skin, the organs, bones, veins and muscles that run his body.