Released in 2017 to coincide with KAWS’ major institutional exhibition Where The End Starts at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, the Blush Companion and Flayed Companion represent a decisive moment in the artist’s practice—where emotional introspection and anatomical deconstruction converge. This paired release is particularly significant. It presents not only the external figure, but also its internal counterpart, transforming the Companion from a closed icon into an object of layered meaning.

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Introduction
BLUSH COMPANIONS, 2016
BLUSH COMPANION, 2016
BLUSH COMPANION FLAYED, 2016

Introduction

The Blush Companion adheres to the familiar standing pose: frontal, composed, and structurally stable. Rendered in saturated red and pink tones, the figure retains its smooth, uninterrupted surface, with the iconic “X” eyes and simplified anatomy. In contrast, the Flayed Companion reveals the figure’s interior. One half remains intact, while the other is dissected to expose muscles, organs, and skeletal elements. The treatment is highly stylized—clinical yet graphic—echoing anatomical models rather than naturalistic representation.

Together, the two works operate as a dual system: surface and interior, exterior identity and underlying structure. Displayed side by side, they create a dialogue between what is seen and what is concealed. Both sculptures are executed in painted cast vinyl, maintaining the industrial precision characteristic of KAWS’ editions. The Blush Companion emphasizes uniformity and finish, while the Flayed Companion introduces a complex layering of textures and forms within the same medium.

Despite the apparent contrast, both works share identical proportions and structural logic, reinforcing the idea that they are not separate entities but two states of the same figure.

The release of these works in conjunction with Where The End Starts is critical. The exhibition marked a turning point in KAWS’ institutional recognition, presenting his work within a museum context and framing it within broader art historical narratives.

Within this context, the Flayed Companion in particular can be read as a conceptual expansion of the artist’s practice—moving beyond surface-level appropriation and into a more introspective, almost analytical territory. The choice of the “blush” palette further intensifies this reading, introducing associations with flesh, vulnerability, and corporeality.

At its core, this pairing is about duality. The Companion, long perceived as a closed and emotionally ambiguous figure, is here opened—literally and metaphorically. The Flayed Companion exposes what the original figure conceals: structure, fragility, and internal complexity. Yet this revelation does not resolve the character’s ambiguity; instead, it deepens it. The interior is no more “truthful” than the exterior—it is simply another layer.

The use of anatomical imagery introduces a subtle tension. While referencing scientific models, the work remains stylized and controlled, preventing any descent into realism. This maintains the balance between familiarity and estrangement that defines KAWS’ practice. Ultimately, the work suggests that identity—whether individual or cultural—is constructed in layers, none of which are definitive.

The Blush Companion and Flayed Companion are among the most conceptually significant editions associated with KAWS’ institutional breakthrough. Their direct link to Where The End Starts enhances their historical importance within the artist’s career. The pairing, in particular, has become highly desirable among collectors, as it encapsulates a key expansion of KAWS’ visual and conceptual language. More broadly, these works signal a shift: from character to structure, from icon to analysis. They demonstrate that beneath the apparent simplicity of KAWS’ figures lies a sustained inquiry into form, identity, and perception.

BLUSH COMPANIONS, 2016

Companion: Blush (Full Bodied; and Flayed)

Medium: Painted cast vinyl
Year: 2016
Dimensions: 28x11x6 cm (11 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/4 inches)
Edition: Open edition
Produced by Medicom Toy, Tokyo

Stamped signature, date, number and manufacturer’s mark to underside
‘©KAWS..16 Open Edition Medicom Toy China’

Auction Results

LA Modern: 17 March 2026
Estimated: USD 400 – 600
USD 640

KAWS (Brian Donnelly, b.1974)
Companion (Blush) (two works), 2016
Painted cast vinyl
Stamped signature, date, number and manufacturer’s mark to underside of each work
‘©KAWS..16 Open Edition Medicom Toy China’
These works are from the open editions
Produced by Medicom Toy, Tokyo
Sold in original packaging

Tate Ward Auctions: 17 March 2026
Estimated: GBP 300 – 500
GBP 375 / USD 500

KAWS (American 1974-)
‘Companion (Blush)(Flayed & Standard)’, 2017
Two vinyl figures
Both stamped with manufacturers details to the underside of the foot
Manufactured by Medicom Toys