With The Promise, KAWS introduces one of the most explicit symbolic gestures within the Companion universe: the transmission of the world itself. Released in 2021 as an open edition in the now-familiar brown, grey, and black colorways, the work builds on earlier parent-child compositions while elevating their meaning to a global, almost allegorical scale.
Introduction
The composition presents an adult Companion bending slightly forward, holding a brightly colored globe, while a smaller figure—childlike in scale—reaches up to receive it. The gesture is precise and carefully staged: the adult does not simply give, and the child does not yet fully hold. The globe exists in a moment of transition, suspended between the two. This suspended exchange is essential. Unlike static compositions, The Promise captures an action—not completed, but in progress. The figures are connected through the object, yet remain distinct, reinforcing the idea of transmission rather than possession.
Across all three colorways, the globe remains vividly colored in blue and green, standing in sharp contrast to the otherwise muted bodies of the figures. This chromatic decision isolates the object as the conceptual center of the work. In the black version especially, the contrast becomes striking. The figures recede into near abstraction, while the globe emerges as the only element carrying visual—and symbolic—intensity. It is not merely an accessory; it is the work.
The title The Promise introduces a temporal dimension. A promise is inherently forward-looking—it implies responsibility, expectation, and continuity. Here, the gesture reads as intergenerational: the adult figure passing the world to the next. But KAWS avoids moralizing. The work does not dictate whether this promise is hopeful or burdensome. The posture of the adult—slightly bent, almost careful—suggests both care and weight. The child reaches upward, but the outcome remains unresolved. The globe, simplified and idealized, functions less as a geographic object and more as a symbol of totality—everything that can be inherited, shaped, or damaged.
The Promise extends a lineage that includes Clean Slate and Along The Way, yet it introduces a level of explicit symbolism rarely seen in KAWS’ work. Where earlier pieces rely on gesture alone, this work incorporates an object that carries immediate, universal meaning. And yet, the core logic remains intact: the crossed-out eyes deny direct communication, preventing the scene from becoming sentimental. The figures interact, but they do not “see.” The promise is made—but never confirmed.
KAWS unveiled The Promise at the Dadu, Children’s Museum of Qatar on 21 November 2022, coinciding with the FIFA World Cup festivities. The installation features a larger adult Companion figure passing a globe to a smaller child Companion, symbolizing the commitment to sustainability and the importance of caring for the planet for future generations.
KAWS. THE PROMISE, 2022. Bronze, paint, steel; approx. 6.1 x 4.3 x 2.8 m
Following the installation, KAWS released the vinyl figures depicting the same Companion characters from the installation and were designed to resonate with collectors and art enthusiasts alike. Furthermore, a hand-pulled screen print on high-quality Stonehenge 250gsm Steel Grey paper was released on the KAWSONE website. The initial retail price for the print was $5,000.
As an open edition, The Promise was widely distributed, quickly reaching a global audience. Its clarity of concept and strong visual identity contributed to its immediate success, making it one of the most recognizable recent additions to the Companion series. At the same time, its conceptual ambition—introducing themes of inheritance, responsibility, and the future—positions it as more than a decorative object. It reflects a moment in KAWS’ practice where the language of the Companion expands beyond introspection and relational dynamics into broader, almost universal concerns. In the end, The Promise operates as a controlled allegory. It presents a familiar gesture—an adult guiding a child—but scales it to the level of the world itself. It is simple, direct, and immediately legible. And yet, like all of KAWS’ strongest works, it leaves the essential question open: what, exactly, is being promised—and at what cost?
THE PROMISE (Brown/Grey/Black)
THE PROMISE (Brown, Grey, Black)
The complete set of three works
Medium: Painted cast vinyl
Year: 2021
Dimensions:
Figure 1: 33x16x18 cm (13-1/8 x 6-3/8 x 7 inches)
Figure 2: 17x9x11 cm (6-3/4 x 3-1/2 x 4-1/4 inches)
Edition: Unknown size
Produced by Medicom Toy, Tokyo
Stamped signature, date and manufacturer’s marks to underside of each element
‘KAWS.. 21 The Promise Medicom Toy China’
Auction Results
Heritage Auctions: 1 May 2024
USD 2,250
KAWS (b. 1974)
The Promise (Black, Brown, and Grey) (set of 3), 2022
Painted cast vinyl
Stamped on underside of feet
Produced by Medicom Toy, Tokyo
THE PROMISE (Brown), 2021
THE PROMISE (Brown)
Medium: Painted cast vinyl
Year: 2021
Dimensions:
Figure 1: 33x16x18 cm (13-1/8 x 6-3/8 x 7 inches)
Figure 2: 17x9x11 cm (6-3/4 x 3-1/2 x 4-1/4 inches)
Edition: Unknown size
Produced by Medicom Toy, Tokyo
Stamped signature, date and manufacturer’s marks to underside of each element
‘KAWS.. 21 The Promise Medicom Toy China’
Auction Results
Heritage Auctions: 4 March 2026
USD 875
KAWS (b. 1974)
The Promise (Brown), 2022
Painted cast vinyl
Stamped on underside of feet
Produced by Medicom Toy, Tokyo
THE PROMISE (Grey), 2021
THE PROMISE (Grey)
Medium: Painted cast vinyl
Year: 2021
Dimensions:
Figure 1: 33x16x18 cm (13-1/8 x 6-3/8 x 7 inches)
Figure 2: 17x9x11 cm (6-3/4 x 3-1/2 x 4-1/4 inches)
Edition: Unknown size
Produced by Medicom Toy, Tokyo
Stamped signature, date and manufacturer’s marks to underside of each element
‘KAWS.. 21 The Promise Medicom Toy China’
Auction Results
Tate Ward Auctions: 12 February 2026
Estimated: GBP 400 – 600
GBP 625 / USD 860
KAWS (American 1974-)
‘The Promise (Grey)’, 2022
Painted cast vinyl figure
Produced by Medicom Toy, Tokyo
Stamped to the underside of the feet
THE PROMISE (Black), 2021
THE PROMISE (Black)
Medium: Painted cast vinyl
Year: 2021
Dimensions:
Figure 1: 33x16x18 cm (13-1/8 x 6-3/8 x 7 inches)
Figure 2: 17x9x11 cm (6-3/4 x 3-1/2 x 4-1/4 inches)
Edition: Unknown size
Produced by Medicom Toy, Tokyo
Stamped signature, date and manufacturer’s marks to underside of each element
‘KAWS.. 21 The Promise Medicom Toy China’
Auction Results
LA Modern: 28 August 2024
Estimated: USD 1,000 – 1,500
USD 2,142
KAWS (Brian Donnelly, b.1974)
The Promise (Black), 2021
Painted cast vinyl
Stamped signature, date and manufacturer’s marks to underside of each element
‘KAWS.. 21 The Promise Medicom Toy China’
This work is from the edition of unknown size
Produced by Medicom Toy, Tokyo
Sold with original packaging