Gauntlet Gallery — Complete KAWS Index
Chum (2022) — White
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Chum (2022) is an open edition vinyl figure released through KAWSONE on August 9, 2022, marking twenty years since the original limited Chum figure of 2002. Chum is KAWS's inflated character — a puffy, segmented body derived from the Michelin Man, topped with the artist's skull-and-crossbones head and X eyes. The 2022 release was the first time this style of Chum had been produced in two decades, issued in five colorways: black, white, pink, orange, and yellow. Each figure measures 11.6 by 7.7 by 3.5 inches, retailed at $280, and shipped in a KAWS-branded protective box. The white version is the cleanest of the five, rendering the character in a single pale tone with grey detailing.
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 occupies a specific place in KAWS's practice: it began as a subversion of a corporate mascot and became a recurring subject of his paintings, including the large CHUM canvases featured in the KAWS: WHAT PARTY museum survey at the Brooklyn Museum in 2021. The 2022 vinyl put a character long locked behind four-figure vintage prices back within reach at retail, and the anniversary framing ties it directly to the 2002 original — a bridge between early KAWS scarcity and the open edition era.
Collector Perspective
WorthPoint sold-listing data shows 41 sales for the white Chum, with a median of $290, essentially at the $280 retail, and a latest recorded sale in December 2025. Results run from $50 for loose or damaged figures to $375 for sealed examples. That tight band is typical of recent open editions: supply met demand at release, so condition and packaging drive what premium exists. White trades at higher volume than the orange and pink colorways, making it the most liquid entry point into the 2022 Chum set.
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 Chum figure depict?
Chum is KAWS's inflated character, derived from the Michelin Man's segmented, puffy body and topped with KAWS's signature skull-and-crossbones head with X eyes. The character dates to the late 1990s in KAWS's paintings and first appeared as a figure in 2002.
What is the edition size of Chum (2022)?
It is an unnumbered open edition — KAWS did not publish a production quantity and no figure carries an edition number. Supply was set by the KAWSONE ordering window on August 9, 2022, when all five colorways released at once at $280 each.
Is the 2022 Chum signed by KAWS?
No. Open edition figures are not individually signed. Authentic examples rely on molded copyright markings and the KAWS-branded box rather than a signature.
How do I know a 2022 Chum is authentic?
Counterfeits followed this release quickly. Check the crispness of the copyright stamping, the seam work on the inflated body segments, and the box printing quality. Because the figure trades near retail, deep-discount listings are a warning sign — buy from a trusted dealer who guarantees authenticity.
How does the 2022 Chum relate to the original 2002 Chum?
The 2022 release marked the 20th anniversary of the 2002 limited Chum and was the first production of this figure style since. The original is a scarce, expensive vintage piece; the 2022 open edition made the same character available at retail scale, in five colorways including this white.
