The KAWS Clean Slate is a Companion sculpture introduced by Brian Donnelly in 2014, depicting a seated, oversized Companion cradling a smaller child Companion in a fatherly embrace. It is widely read as KAWS' most autobiographical work, released across vinyl figure editions (Black, Brown, Grey) and a monumental 1:1 bronze.
Quick Answer: What is the KAWS Clean Slate figure?
Clean Slate is part of KAWS' Companion lineage — the artist's signature character first introduced in 1999 — but stands apart for one reason: it is the only Companion sculpture in which the figure is shown holding another version of itself. A larger seated Companion gently embraces a smaller child-scale Companion in a moment of stillness, tenderness, and exhaustion. KAWS has publicly tied the work to his experience as a father, and collectors have responded accordingly. Since its 2014 debut, Clean Slate has become one of the most pursued Companion variants in the secondary market, alongside Along The Way (2013), Share (2020), and Gone (2019).
The 2014 Debut and the Family Reading
Clean Slate first appeared as a monumental fiberglass sculpture in KAWS' 2014 exhibition cycle, debuting at Yorkshire Sculpture Park and traveling through subsequent gallery and museum presentations. The larger-than-life version — KAWS' first fully seated Companion sculpture at architectural scale — established the work's visual vocabulary: arms wrapped around the smaller figure, head bowed slightly, both characters wearing the iconic X-eyed expression.
The autobiographical reading is not subtle. KAWS (Brian Donnelly, born 1974 in Jersey City, NJ) has spoken in interviews about how fatherhood reshaped his practice, and Clean Slate is the clearest sculptural articulation of that shift. Where earlier Companion works — from the 1999 Bounty Hunter prototype through OriginalFake-era figures — foregrounded isolation, melancholy, and Disney-character subversion, Clean Slate introduced something new to the lineage: relational intimacy.
The Vinyl Editions: Black, Brown, Grey
The collectible vinyl edition of Clean Slate — produced in collaboration with Medicom Toy and released through Medicom and AllRightsReserved distribution channels — was issued in three colorways. Each version stands approximately 14 inches tall and is packaged in KAWS' standard collectible format with branded outer box, foam insert, and Medicom edition markings.
Clean Slate Vinyl Edition Reference Table
| Colorway | Format | Approx. Height | Producer | Documented Secondary Market Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Painted vinyl | ~14 in | Medicom Toy | Highest of the three; strongest documented resale |
| Brown | Painted vinyl | ~14 in | Medicom Toy | Mid-tier; consistent collector demand |
| Grey | Painted vinyl | ~14 in | Medicom Toy | Entry tier of the three; most accessible |
| Bronze (1:1) | Monumental sculpture | Life-scale | KAWS Studio | Auction-tier; documented six- to seven-figure sales |
Source: Gauntlet Gallery 160,000+ comparable sales database. Tier descriptions reflect documented secondary market activity across auction houses and verified resale platforms; exact pricing varies by condition, box, and provenance.
The 1:1 Bronze: Monumental Clean Slate
Beyond the vinyl figures, KAWS produced Clean Slate as a 1:1 bronze sculpture — a monumental edition that has appeared in institutional and private installations. The bronze sits in the same conceptual register as KAWS' other large-scale public works (Along The Way, Waiting, Better Knowing) and trades in the auction-house tier rather than the collectible market. Bronze Clean Slate examples have been catalogued by Phillips, Sotheby's, and Christie's and have appeared in major contemporary sales since 2015.
For context on KAWS' broader auction trajectory: The KAWS Album set the artist's auction record at HK$115.9 million (approximately US$14.7 million) at Sotheby's Hong Kong in April 2019, transforming public perception of KAWS from designer-toy artist to bankable contemporary blue-chip.
Brooklyn Museum 2021 and the Retrospective Moment
Clean Slate returned to public visibility during KAWS: WHAT PARTY, the artist's career retrospective at the Brooklyn Museum (February – September 2021). The exhibition surveyed two decades of practice across paintings, sculpture, prints, and the Companion universe, and Clean Slate was among the featured large-scale works that anchored the show's emotional through-line.
The Brooklyn Museum context matters for collectors. Institutional retrospectives historically tighten secondary market supply — existing owners hold rather than sell once a work is canonized by a museum survey — and the WHAT PARTY moment is widely cited as a turning point for Companion-series pricing across editions.
Why Clean Slate Is Among the Most Collected Companions
1. Emotional resonance over irony
Most early Companion works trade in irony, melancholy, or character subversion. Clean Slate is sincere. For collectors building a Companion-series collection, it functions as the emotional anchor.
2. Narrative completeness
Clean Slate, Along The Way, Share, and Gone form an informal "relational Companion" subset within the broader Companion catalog. Clean Slate is the family piece in that grouping.
3. Format range
The work exists across three vinyl colorways, a monumental bronze, and museum-context appearances — offering an entry point at multiple budget tiers, which is unusual within a single Companion sculpture.
4. Cross-market demand
Clean Slate is one of the few Companion editions that draws simultaneous demand from auction-house bidders (bronze), designer-toy collectors (vinyl), and general contemporary art buyers entering the KAWS market for the first time.
Authentication: What to Verify Before Buying
Counterfeit Clean Slate vinyls circulate on open marketplaces, and the authentication standards for Companion vinyl figures are non-negotiable. Before purchasing any Clean Slate vinyl in the secondary market, verify:
- Outer box condition and printing fidelity. Original Medicom packaging uses specific ink registration and box stock; counterfeits typically reveal themselves at the printing layer.
- Medicom Toy edition markings on the figure base and the box.
- Foam insert and inner packaging — original presentation matters for resale value and for authentication.
- Provenance documentation — receipts, prior auction lot records, or verified resale platform authentication tickets (StockX, GOAT).
- Seller history. Established designer-toy and contemporary art dealers carry materially lower counterfeit risk than first-time marketplace sellers.
Gauntlet Gallery, founded in 2012, has built one of the most granular authentication datasets in the KAWS secondary market across our 160,000+ comparable sales database. For a broader framework on Companion-series collecting, see our KAWS Collector Guide.
Current Secondary Market: Documented Activity by Colorway
Documented secondary market activity for Clean Slate vinyl since the 2021 Brooklyn Museum retrospective has held above pre-2021 levels across all three colorways. The Black version consistently leads the three in documented resale; Brown sits in the middle; Grey is the most accessible entry point. Specific pricing varies materially by box condition, provenance, and sale venue, and we encourage collectors to reference our comparable sales database rather than headline numbers from individual marketplace listings.
The 1:1 bronze remains in the auction-house tier and trades on individual lot basis at Phillips, Sotheby's, and Christie's evening and day sales of contemporary art.
How to Buy Clean Slate Through Gauntlet Gallery
Gauntlet Gallery sources, authenticates, and curates KAWS Companion editions across vinyl and print categories. Every piece in our inventory is verified against our 160,000+ comparable sales database with documented provenance, condition grading, and packaging assessment.
Browse the Gauntlet Gallery KAWS Collection →
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the KAWS Clean Slate figure released?
Clean Slate debuted in 2014 as a monumental fiberglass sculpture, followed by Medicom Toy vinyl editions in Black, Brown, and Grey colorways.
What does Clean Slate represent?
KAWS has connected Clean Slate to his experience as a father. The larger Companion holding the smaller child Companion in a seated embrace reads as the most autobiographical sculpture in the Companion series.
Which Clean Slate colorway holds the strongest secondary market value?
Across documented secondary market activity, the Black colorway consistently leads, followed by Brown, then Grey. The 1:1 bronze sits in the auction-house tier and trades separately.
Where has Clean Slate been exhibited?
Clean Slate has appeared at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, in multiple gallery and museum contexts, and most prominently as part of KAWS: WHAT PARTY at the Brooklyn Museum (February – September 2021).
How do I authenticate a Clean Slate vinyl figure?
Verify Medicom Toy markings, original box and foam insert, printing fidelity on the packaging, and seller provenance. Established dealers and verified resale platforms materially reduce counterfeit risk. Gauntlet Gallery authenticates every KAWS piece against our 160,000+ comparable sales database.