Nexus VII Wood Companion Be@rbrick 400%
Medium: Wenge
Year: 2007
Dimensions: 27x14x9 cm (10-3/4 x 5-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches)
Edition: 400
Co-Produced by: Medicom Toy, Tokyo and OriginalFake, Tokyo
Incised signature to reverse ‘© KAWS’
The Companion Be@rbrick (NEXUS VII Wood) created in 2007 represents a distinctive intersection between collectible design, contemporary sculpture, and Japanese street fashion culture. The piece was produced as a collaboration between contemporary artist Brian Donnelly, the renowned Japanese collectible manufacturer Medicom Toy, and the Tokyo-based fashion label NEXUS VII. Issued in the 400% Be@rbrick format, the sculpture stands approximately 28 centimeters tall and forms part of a limited edition series that has become highly desirable among collectors of designer toys and contemporary art objects.
The work adopts the well-known Be@rbrick silhouette developed by Medicom Toy, a simplified anthropomorphic bear form that has become one of the most recognizable platforms in collectible design. Since its introduction in 2001, the Be@rbrick has served as a blank canvas for artists, designers, and cultural institutions to reinterpret through a wide range of materials, graphics, and conceptual approaches. In this particular edition, KAWS transforms the familiar bear-shaped structure by integrating his signature visual language into the figure.
The sculpture is characterized by the artist’s iconic crossed-out X-shaped eyes, which appear on the otherwise minimal facial surface of the Be@rbrick head. This motif, one of the most recognizable elements of KAWS’s artistic vocabulary, has been used throughout his career to modify familiar cultural characters and objects. By applying it to the Be@rbrick format, the artist merges his Companion universe with the collectible figure platform that played a significant role in the evolution of designer toys during the early twenty-first century.
What distinguishes this edition from many other Be@rbrick releases is the wood-like finish that covers the entire surface of the sculpture. Rather than the glossy painted vinyl typically associated with collectible figures, the piece presents a textured surface evoking carved wood, complete with visible grain patterns and tonal variations. This treatment transforms the industrial toy-like object into something that visually recalls traditional sculpture. The effect suggests the appearance of a carved wooden artifact while maintaining the precise molded form characteristic of Medicom Toy productions.
This aesthetic choice aligns closely with the design philosophy of the Japanese fashion brand NEXUS VII, which is known for combining contemporary streetwear with references to traditional craftsmanship and vintage military aesthetics. The collaboration therefore creates an unusual dialogue between several cultural spheres: contemporary art, collectible design, and fashion. The result is an object that simultaneously functions as a sculpture, a design collectible, and a cultural artifact reflecting the creative energy of Tokyo’s street culture during the 2000s.
KAWS had already developed a strong international reputation by the mid-2000s through his reinterpretations of familiar cultural icons and cartoon characters. Emerging from a background in street art and graphic design, he gained early attention by altering advertising imagery in urban spaces, inserting his now-famous X-eyed characters into billboards and posters. Over time, this visual language expanded into painting, sculpture, and collectible figures, establishing a recognizable universe populated by recurring characters such as Companion, Chum, and Accomplice.
The Be@rbrick platform offered KAWS an ideal format for extending this universe into three-dimensional objects that could circulate globally among collectors. Unlike unique sculptures presented exclusively in galleries, these limited editions allowed a wider audience to engage with the artist’s work. At the same time, the scarcity of the editions and the strong cultural resonance of the imagery ensured their rapid adoption by collectors interested in both contemporary art and design.
Within the broader trajectory of KAWS’s career, pieces such as the Companion Be@rbrick (NEXUS VII Wood) illustrate the early stages of a practice that would later expand dramatically into monumental public sculptures and major museum exhibitions. The artist’s work now occupies an important place in contemporary culture, reflecting the increasing convergence between fine art, fashion, and global popular imagery.
Today, early Be@rbrick collaborations involving KAWS are widely regarded as key historical objects within the designer toy movement. They document the moment when collectible figures evolved from niche design products into culturally significant artworks that blurred the boundaries between sculpture, consumer culture, and contemporary art. The Companion Be@rbrick (NEXUS VII Wood) stands as a particularly elegant example of this transformation, combining the visual simplicity of the Be@rbrick platform with the distinctive artistic language that has made KAWS one of the most influential artists of his generation.
Auction Results
Heritage Auctions: 13 April 2021
USD 15,000
BE@RBRICK X KAWS
NexusVII 400%, 2007
Wood
Incised to the reverse
Produced by Medicom Toy and OriginalFake, Tokyo