Gauntlet Gallery — Complete KAWS Index
Chum (2022) — Pink
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Chum (Pink) is a 2022 open edition vinyl figure produced through KAWS's own KAWSONE platform, standing 11.6 inches tall and retailing at $280. Chum is KAWS's inflated, Michelin Man-derived character — a puffed, segmented body with X-ed out eyes — first released as a signed vinyl edition of 1,000 in 2002. To mark the character's 20th anniversary, KAWS reissued Chum on August 9, 2022 in five colorways: black, white, pink, orange, and yellow. The pink version renders the entire figure in a single flat pink, with the sculpt's stacked, tire-like segments carrying the form. Each figure ships in a color-coded KAWS-branded box. As an open edition, pieces are unnumbered; production ran for the release window rather than to a fixed count.
Collector notes: Legacy catalog label: Open Edition; 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
Chum is one of the few KAWS characters lifted directly from a corporate mascot, which puts it at the center of his appropriation practice — the same move that drove his early bus-shelter ad interventions. The 2022 reissue matters because it made a character previously locked behind a 1,000-piece 2002 edition broadly accessible, and it marked KAWS formalizing anniversary re-releases through KAWSONE. For collectors mapping the character canon, Chum sits alongside Companion and BFF as a core figure rather than a one-off.
Collector Perspective
Our WorthPoint sold-listing analysis shows 22 recorded sales for the pink Chum, with a median of $250 against a $280 retail — a range of roughly $180 to $600, with the most recent sale logged May 2026. That median sitting just under retail is typical of the 2022 anniversary set: supply was generous, so condition and complete color-coded packaging are what separate the $180 examples from the $600 ones. Pink and yellow trade thinner than black and white, so pricing is less settled sale to sale.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned sculpture / object
- Release date
- 2022
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Vinyl Figure.
- Edition details
- Legacy catalog label: Open Edition; 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 2022.
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.
Market Context
- Estimated value. The median of recorded public sale prices for this piece, matched by title and colorway. We use the median (not the average) because it resists outliers.
- Min / max sale. The lowest and highest individual recorded sale prices; the range shows dispersion, not a guaranteed band.
- Recorded comps. The number of independent comparable sales; reliability rises with sample size (1–2 sales are indicative only).
- Liquidity & sales volume. Our liquidity rating reflects sales velocity — the number of recorded comparable sales and how recent the latest sale is. More frequent and more recent sales rate as more liquid (Highly Liquid → Liquid → Moderate → Thin → Very Thin); a piece with no recorded public sales is Extremely Rare.
- Estimate confidence. A traffic-light read on how well the data supports the estimate: green high, yellow medium, red low / indicative.
- Data source & currency. Compiled from recorded public marketplace and auction sales of US$200 or more, in US dollars, as of the latest recorded sale shown. Coverage is not exhaustive.
- Not financial or investment advice. For collector reference only — not an appraisal, offer, or guarantee of resale value. Art is volatile and illiquid; do your own research. Use is subject to our Terms & Conditions.
FAQ
What does the KAWS Chum figure depict?
Chum is KAWS's take on the Michelin Man — an inflated, segmented body topped with his signature skull-and-crossbones head and X-ed out eyes. The character first appeared in KAWS's paintings and became a vinyl figure in 2002.
What is the edition size of the 2022 pink Chum?
It is an open edition, so figures are unnumbered and no fixed edition size was published. KAWS produced the figure for the August 2022 release window through KAWSONE rather than capping it at a set count.
Is the pink Chum signed by KAWS?
No, open edition figures are not individually signed. Authentic examples carry molded copyright markings from the production run; the original 2002 Chum was the signed release, issued in an edition of 1,000.
How do I avoid fake Chum figures?
Counterfeits of KAWSONE open editions are common, and paint quality alone is not a reliable tell. Check the molded markings, the color-coded KAWS box, and buy from a dealer who documents sourcing and stands behind authenticity.
How is the 2022 Chum different from the 2002 original?
The 2002 Chum was a signed, limited edition of 1,000 in black only. The 2022 release is an unsigned open edition issued in five colorways — black, white, pink, orange, and yellow — as a 20th-anniversary tribute to the original.
