Gauntlet Gallery — Complete KAWS Index
Together (Brown)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Together is one of KAWS's two-figure compositions, depicting a pair of Companion-type characters embracing or leaning into one another, a tender image of companionship and mutual support. This brown colorway renders that intertwined pair in KAWS's clean, sculptural style, with the figures' crossed-out X eyes and rounded, cartoon-derived bodies. Whether realized as a vinyl figure or a flat edition, the Together motif marks a warmer, more affectionate register in KAWS's vocabulary, where the usual solitary Companion is joined by a partner. The brown palette gives the work a soft, earthy tone that contrasts with the brighter colorways in the series.
Collector notes: Edition label was not stated, and total quantity was not documented in the saved record. Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
Together represents the family-and-companionship thread that runs through KAWS's mature work, where his characters are no longer isolated but paired, embracing, or caring for one another. This emotional turn, from the lonely Passing Through figure to the joined Together pair, broadened the emotional range of his practice and resonated widely with collectors drawn to its warmth. The motif of two figures clinging together became one of his most reproduced and beloved images, appearing across sculptures, figures, and editions, and it anchors the more hopeful side of his otherwise melancholic vocabulary. For collectors, Together offers a counterweight to the sadder Companion poses, and its tenderness gives it broad display appeal. It exemplifies how KAWS uses simple, appropriated cartoon forms to convey complex human feeling, the quality that elevated him from designer-toy maker to a contemporary artist whose work reads emotionally across cultures and audiences.
Collector Perspective
Together appeals to collectors who respond to KAWS's warmer, relational imagery, often those buying for the home rather than purely for investment. The embracing pair reads as affection and family, making it a popular gift and a strong decorative statement, particularly in shared or domestic spaces. The brown colorway is muted and versatile, easy to integrate into varied interiors and pleasant beside brighter Companion pieces. Within a KAWS collection, Together provides emotional and tonal balance, the companionable counterpoint to solitary poses like Passing Through. Collectors value it for the strength and recognizability of the two-figure motif as much as for any specific scarcity, and it frequently appears in collections assembled around the theme of companionship.
Historical Context
The shift from solitary Companion to paired figures marks an important development in KAWS's arc, aligning with the period when his characters took on familial and relational dimensions. Together belongs to his Companion and fine-art era, where the central character matured into a vehicle for themes of intimacy, family, and mutual support. This relational turn paralleled his move into larger sculptures and globally toured installations, and the embracing-pair motif became one of the defining images of that phase, reproduced across many formats and helping cement his reputation for emotionally resonant pop sculpture.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned print or object
- Release date
- 2018
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Series
- Companion Series
- Medium and materials
- Medium and materials were not documented in the saved record.
- Edition details
- Edition label was not stated, and total quantity was not documented in the saved record.
- Signature and marks
- Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition.
Documented History and Meaning
History note: This page treats KAWS's broader career as background context, not proof that this specific edition belongs to any single exhibition or event. Release-level facts here come from a saved secondary catalog record.
Meaning / interpretation: No per-work artist statement is recorded for this edition. Any thematic reading should be treated as interpretation of the imagery, not a documented statement of the artist's intent. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2018. It is grouped under Companion Series in the saved record.
Authentication, Presentation and Provenance
- Original presentation
- Original packaging or presentation was not documented in the release sources reviewed.
- Authentication note
- Compare the support, dimensions, edition number, and signature against a documented example of this edition. Gauntlet Gallery does not authenticate works purchased from third parties.
- Provenance note
- Edition origin is attributed in the saved record to the release source named in the saved record. That does not establish the ownership history of an individual copy: retain the original invoice, reseller or gallery paperwork, labels, correspondence, and condition photographs.
Sources and Verification
Verification status: Secondary catalog snapshot; artist-level context added
- KAWSONE — official site — KAWS studio · primary artist source · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Official artist site; career context, not an individual-edition record.
- KAWS — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
- KAWS (Q3194367) — Wikidata · reference knowledge base · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Structured identifier used for the artist across catalog metadata.
FAQ
What does Together depict?
It shows a pair of KAWS Companion-type figures embracing or leaning together, an image of companionship and mutual support.
How does it differ from the solitary Companion poses?
Together belongs to KAWS's warmer, relational imagery, pairing his characters rather than isolating them as in poses like Passing Through.
Why is the brown colorway notable?
The muted, earthy brown palette gives the piece a soft, versatile tone that contrasts with the brighter colorways in the series.
Who tends to collect it?
Collectors drawn to KAWS's warmer, family-themed imagery, often buying for the home, value Together for its tenderness and display appeal.
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