First introduced in 2002 by KAWS, Chum stands as one of the most conceptually incisive characters within KAWS’ early sculptural vocabulary. While Companion and Accomplice operate within a language of emotional withdrawal and quiet introspection, Chum introduces something more complex: a direct appropriation and transformation of a globally recognizable cultural icon. Derived from the Michelin Man (Bibendum), Chum reinterprets this emblem of corporate identity into a distinctly KAWSian figure. The result is not parody, but mutation—an object that retains the visual familiarity of its source while subverting its meaning entirely.
Introduction
Chum is immediately recognizable through its segmented, inflated body, composed of rounded, tire-like forms stacked vertically. This modular construction gives the figure a sense of weight and volume, yet paradoxically maintains a softness—almost as if the sculpture were made of air rather than mass. The figure stands with hands on hips, a stance that suggests confidence, even authority. Yet this posture is undermined by the signature “XX” eyes, which erase identity and emotional clarity. The result is a figure caught between assertion and emptiness, present, yet hollow.
Unlike Companion, which leans toward anthropomorphism, Chum is more abstracted. Its body is less human, more object-like, reinforcing its origin in industrial and commercial design. This tension between character and object is central to its impact.
2002 Painted Cast Vinyl Editions
The original 2002 release was produced as painted cast vinyl figures in five distinct colorways: black, white, grey/clear, pink/red, and yellow. Most were issued in editions of 500, with the clear version typically produced in a larger edition. These colorways are not merely aesthetic variations—they significantly affect the reading of the work.
The black version emphasizes volume and silhouette, giving the figure a dense, almost monolithic presence. The white version, by contrast, flattens detail and highlights the segmented construction, making the form appear more abstract, almost architectural. The clear variant introduces transparency, further destabilizing the object by revealing its internal emptiness—arguably the most conceptually aligned with the idea of a hollow corporate shell.
The more saturated tones—red/pink and yellow—push the figure closer to its commercial origins, echoing the visual language of advertising and branding. Yet within KAWS’ framework, these colors become slightly off-key, too polished, too artificial—enhancing the sense of unease beneath the surface.
Bronze Editions (2008–2009): Sculptural Elevation
Around 2008–2009, Chum undergoes a critical transformation with the introduction of bronze editions, produced in highly limited numbers (editions of 3 with artist proofs). This shift in material marks the transition from collectible object to fully realized sculpture. Bronze introduces weight, permanence, and historical gravitas, placing Chum within the lineage of classical sculpture while preserving its contemporary visual language.
The glossy, reflective surfaces of the bronze versions—particularly in black, white, red, and orange, enhance the figure’s volumetric qualities. Light moves across the segmented body, emphasizing its inflated construction while reinforcing its object-like nature. At this stage, Chum becomes less a character and more a form—an exploration of volume, repetition, and surface. Yet the conceptual tension remains intact: a corporate mascot transformed into a contemplative, almost inert presence.
Recontextualization: What Party (2020)
The What Party iteration of Chum finds its full meaning when placed within the context of the exhibition KAWS: WHAT PARTY, presented at the Brooklyn Museum in 2021. Conceived in the immediate aftermath of 2020, the exhibition carries a tone that is markedly different from the more exuberant, expansion-driven phases of KAWS’ earlier career. The title itself—What Party—functions as a quiet but incisive provocation. It suggests a moment of absence rather than presence, a rhetorical question that exposes the fragility of the spectacle that contemporary culture continuously promises.
In this light, the What Party Chum figure becomes far more than a formal variation. It reads as a direct response to a collective shift in atmosphere. Where the original 2002 Chum stood with hands on hips—assertive, almost emblematic of corporate confidence—the 2020 version abandons that posture entirely. The figure lowers its head, its arms fall along the body, and the inflated volumes that once conveyed presence now seem to carry weight. The transformation is subtle but profound: the character is no longer projecting outward, it is folding inward.
The title amplifies this reading. “What party?” evokes the realization that the anticipated celebration—whether social, cultural, or economic—may never have truly existed, or has quietly dissipated. In the context of a period defined by isolation and the suspension of public life, the phrase acquires an almost existential resonance. It questions not only the absence of literal gatherings, but also the broader illusion of constant engagement and collective excitement that defines much of contemporary visual culture.
This tension is heightened by the use of highly saturated colors—acid yellow, bright pink, deep black, stark white, and vivid orange. These tones traditionally signal energy, visibility, and attraction; they belong to the language of advertising and spectacle. Yet here they are applied to a figure that refuses to engage. The brighter the surface, the more withdrawn the posture appears, creating a deliberate dissonance between appearance and emotional state.
Within KAWS’ broader trajectory, this moment feels like a turning point. The appropriation that defined Chum in 2002—transforming a corporate mascot into a hollowed-out cultural object—evolves into something more introspective. By 2020, the figure is no longer simply a reflection of consumer culture; it becomes a reflection of its aftermath. The inflated body remains, but the confidence has evaporated. What persists is a quiet, almost melancholic awareness. Seen in this context, What Party Chum does not negate the earlier works—it completes them. It reveals that beneath the polished surfaces, the repetition, and the visual immediacy that define KAWS’ language, there has always been a more subdued narrative at play. The question posed by the title lingers not as irony, but as a condition: in a world saturated with images and promises of connection, one is left to wonder whether the “party” was ever truly there at all.
Meaning: Appropriation, Consumption, and Identity
At its core, Chum is one of KAWS’ most direct engagements with appropriation. By borrowing from the Michelin Man, a symbol deeply embedded in global consumer culture, KAWS situates his work within a lineage that includes Andy Warhol and Claes Oldenburg—artists who similarly recontextualized everyday symbols. However, KAWS’ approach is more subtle. Rather than celebrating or critiquing consumer culture overtly, he neutralizes it. The smiling, welcoming Michelin figure becomes silent, stripped of expression, emptied of purpose. The title Chum adds another layer. It suggests companionship, friendliness, accessibility—yet the figure itself resists connection. It stands confidently, but offers nothing. It is familiar, but emotionally inaccessible. In this sense, Chum operates as a quiet commentary on contemporary identity: constructed, inflated, and ultimately hollow.
Today, Chum is recognized as one of the foundational pillars of KAWS’ sculptural practice. It is arguably his most intellectually grounded figure—less immediately emotional than Companion, less narrative than Accomplice, but more structurally and conceptually rigorous.
The early vinyl editions remain highly sought after, particularly complete sets of colorways, while the bronze editions occupy a significantly higher tier within the market, aligning with institutional collecting and major private collections. More broadly, Chum exemplifies KAWS’ unique ability to operate across categories—merging design, sculpture, and cultural critique into a single, coherent language. It is not simply a figure; it is a system of ideas, articulated through form. And perhaps most importantly, it demonstrates one of KAWS’ central insights: that in a world saturated with images and symbols, the most powerful gesture is not to create something new—but to transform what we already think we know.
CHUM (BLACK, PINK, YELLOW, WHITE, CLEAR), 2002
CHUM (BLACK, PINK, YELLOW, WHITE, CLEAR)
Medium: Plastic multiple
Year: 2002
Dimensions: 35.6 x 21 x 10.8 cm (14 x 8-1/4 x 4-1/4 inches)
Edition: 500 for CHUM (BLACK/PINK/YELLOW/WHITE), 1000 for CHUM (CLEAR)
Fabricated by 360 Toy Group, New York
Stamped ‘:CHUM..© KAWS..02 CHUM 500/XXX‘ on the underside
Auction Results
SBI Art Auction: 3 October 2020
Estimated: JPY 300,000 – 500,000
JPY 1,265,000 / USD 12,010
KAWS
CHUM (Black, White, Clear, Pink, Yellow), 2002
Plastic, multiple, 5 works
Numbered on the bottom of foot (each)
[1-2. 4-5] ED. 500 [3] ED. 1000
CHUM (BLACK), 2002
CHUM (BLACK)
Medium: Plastic multiple
Year: 2002
Dimensions: 35.6 x 21 x 10.8 cm (14 x 8-1/4 x 4-1/4 inches)
Edition: 500
Fabricated by 360 Toy Group, New York
Stamped ‘:CHUM..© KAWS..02 CHUM 500/XXX‘ on the underside
Auction Results
Phillips London: 13 December 2019
Estimated: GBP 800 – 1,200
GBP 3,500
KAWS
CHUM (BLACK), 2002
Plastic, with original 360 Toy Group packaging
Stamped ‘:CHUM.. ©KAWS..02 on the underside of the left foot
Further signed and dated ‘KAWS..03’ on the underside of the right foot
This work is number 21 from an edition of 500
Fabricated by 360 Toy Group, New York
CHUM (PINK), 2002
CHUM (PINK)
Medium: Plastic multiple
Year: 2002
Dimensions: 35.6 x 21 x 10.8 cm (14 x 8-1/4 x 4-1/4 inches)
Edition: 500
Fabricated by 360 Toy Group, New York
Stamped ‘:CHUM..© KAWS..02 CHUM 500/XXX‘ on the underside
Auction Results
Phillips London: 13 December 2019
Estimated: GBP 800 – 1,200
GBP 3,750
KAWS
CHUM (PINK), 2002
Plastic, with original 360 Toy Group packaging
Stamped ‘:CHUM..© KAWS..02 CHUM 500/496’ on the underside
This work is number 496 from an edition of 500
Fabricated by 360 Toy Group, New York
CHUM (YELLOW), 2002
CHUM (PINK)
Medium: Plastic multiple
Year: 2002
Dimensions: 35.6 x 21 x 10.8 cm (14 x 8-1/4 x 4-1/4 inches)
Edition: 500
Fabricated by 360 Toy Group, New York
Stamped ‘:CHUM..© KAWS..02 CHUM 500/XXX‘ on the underside
Auction Results
Heritage Auctions: 7 May 2025
USD 1,250
KAWS (b. 1974)
Chum (Yellow), 2002
Cast resin
Edition: 138/500
Stamped on underside of feet
Produced by 360 Toy Group, Tokyo
Phillips London: 13 December 2019
Estimated: GBP 800 – 1,200
GBP 3,000
KAWS
CHUM (YELLOW), 2002
Plastic, with original 360 Toy Group packaging
Stamped ‘:CHUM..© KAWS..02 CHUM 500/156’ on the underside
This work is number 156 from an edition of 500
Fabricated by 360 Toy Group, New York
CHUM (WHITE), 2002
CHUM (PINK)
Medium: Plastic multiple
Year: 2002
Dimensions: 35.6 x 21 x 10.8 cm (14 x 8-1/4 x 4-1/4 inches)
Edition: 500
Fabricated by 360 Toy Group, New York
Stamped ‘:CHUM..© KAWS..02 CHUM 500/XXX‘ on the underside
Auction Results
Heritage Auctions: 2 July 2025
USD 500
KAWS (b. 1974)
Chum (White), 2002
Cast resin
Edition: 157/500
Stamped on underside of feet
Produced by 360 Toy Group, Tokyo
Heritage Auctions: 7 May 2025
USD 1,218.75
KAWS (b. 1974)
Chum (Clear), 2002
Cast resin
Edition: 992/1000
Stamped on underside of feet
Produced by 360 Toy Group, Tokyo
Phillips London: 13 December 2019
Estimated: GBP 800 – 1,200
GBP 3,250
KAWS
CHUM (WHITE), 2002
Plastic, with original 360 Toy Group packaging
Stamped ‘:CHUM..© KAWS..02 CHUM 500/064’ on the underside
This work is number 64 from an edition of 500
Fabricated by 360 Toy Group, New York
CHUM (CLEAR), 2002
CHUM (PINK)
Medium: Plastic multiple
Year: 2002
Dimensions: 35.6 x 21 x 10.8 cm (14 x 8-1/4 x 4-1/4 inches)
Edition: 1000
Fabricated by 360 Toy Group, New York
Stamped ‘:CHUM..© KAWS..02 CHUM 500/XXX‘ on the underside
Auction Results
Heritage Auctions: 2 July 2025
USD 750
KAWS (b. 1974)
Chum (Clear), 2002
Cast resin
Edition: 196/1000
Stamped on underside of feet
Produced by 360 Toy Group, Tokyo
Phillips London: 13 December 2019
Estimated: GBP 800 – 1,200
GBP 3,250
stamped ‘:CHUM..© KAWS..02 CHUM 500/795’ on the underside
plastic, with original 360 Toy Group packaging
35.6 x 21 x 10.8 cm (14 x 8 1/4 x 4 1/4 in.)
Executed in 2002, this work is number 795 from an edition of 1000, fabricated by 360 Toy Group, New York.
CHUM (Bronze), 2009
CHUM
Medium: Painted bronze
Year: 2009
Dimensions: 20x13x6 inches (50.8 x 33 x 15.2 cm)
Edition: 3
Artist’s Proofs: 2 AP
Colors: Pink, Black, Orange, White
CHUM is a striking example of KAWS’s unique visual language and the bold adoption of Pop sentimentality, which has positioned him at the forefront of the 21st-century Pop movement. A hybrid of the iconic Michelin Man and KAWS’s signature ‘X’-eyed skull head, Chum is amongst the most emblematic characters of the artist’s oeuvre. Inspired by familiar characters from cartoons, logos, and mascots from popular culture, KAWS’s playful creations poignantly examine contemporary visual culture in today’s mass consumerist society.
Following his graduation from the School of Visual Arts in New York in 1996, KAWS, as a young graffiti artist, began to parody and subvert corporate and political advertisements on the side of bus shelters and billboards. Gradually, he began expanding his imagery to appropriate recognizable cartoon figures to invent his own host of characters, Chum being one of the most iconic. The first Chum was released in 2002, its name carrying the definition “a close friend or pal”. Its disproportionately puffed chest and hyper-masculine pose evokes a juvenile childishness that is at once inviting and familiar, evoking the form of the stacked-tire figure Michelin Man, created as a mascot in the late 19th century for the Michelin tire company.
Drawing on the art historical tradition of restyling and appropriating images by Pop artists such as Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol, KAWS transforms an image that exists in the public consciousness into an icon within his own oeuvre that is at once distinctively recognizable and uniquely KAWS. In CHUM, KAWS disguises the heaviness of the bronze medium through an even, glossy black surface, achieving a plastic-like appearance that resembles a toy or figurine.
Auction Results
CHUM (ORANGE), 2009
Sotheby’s New-York: 21 November 2024
Estimated: USD 150,000 – 200,000
USD 144,000
CHUM (ORANGE) | Contemporary Day Auction | 2024 | Sotheby’s
KAWS (b. 1974)
CHUM (ORANGE), 2009
Painted bronze
20 1/2 x 13 x 6 inches (52.1 x 33 x 15.2 cm)
Incised with the artist’s signature, date 08 and number 2/3 (on the underside)
This work is number 2 from an edition of 3 plus 1 artist’s proof
CHUM (Black), 2009
Sotheby’s London: 10 October 2024
Estimated: GBP 100,000 – 150,000
GBP 84,000
CHUM (Black) | Contemporary Day Auction | 2024 | Sotheby’s
KAWS (b. 1974)
CHUM (Black), 2009
Painted bronze
Incised with the artist’s signature and numbered 3/3 (on the underside of the left foot)
This work is number 3 from an edition of 3 plus 1 artist’s proof
Chum (Black), 2008
Phillips New-York: 16 May 2023
Estimated: USD 180,000 – 250,000
USD 215,900
KAWS – 20th Century & Contemporary Art … Lot 422 May 2023 | Phillips
KAWS
Chum (Black), 2008
Painted bronze
Incised with the artist’s signature, number and date “KAWS..08 1/3” on the underside
This work is number 1 from an edition of 3 plus 1 artist’s proof
Chum (Orange), 2009
Sotheby’s New-York: 19 November 2021
Estimated: USD 200,000 – 300,000
USD 315,000
Chum (Orange) | Contemporary Day Auction | 2021 | Sotheby’s
KAWS (b. 1974)
Chum (Orange), 2009
Painted bronze
Incised KAWS, dated 08 and numbered 2/3 (on the underside)
This work is number 2 from an edition of 3, plus 1 artist’s proof
CHUM (PINK), 2009
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 10 July 2020
Estimated: HKD 1,600,000 – 2,400,000
HKD 3,000,000
KAWS (B. 1974), CHUM (PINK) | Christie’s
KAWS (B. 1974)
CHUM (PINK), 2009
Painted bronze sculpture
Incised with the artist’s monogram, dated and editioned ’KAWS..08 2/3’
Edition 2/3 + 1 AP
Chum (White), 2008
Sotheby’s New-York: 15 November 2018
Estimated: USD 100,000 – 150,000
USD 337,500
KAWS
Chum (White), 2008
Painted bronze
Incised with the artist’s signature, number 3/3 and date ’08 on the underside of the foot
This work is number 3 from an edition of 3, plus 2 artist’s proofs
WHAT PARTY CHUM FIGURE SET, 2020
What Party – Chum (Figure Set)
Medium: Painted cast vinyl
Year: 2020
Dimensions: 28.7 x 12.9 x 9.3 cm
Edition: open
Published by Medicom
Stamped on underside of feet