Summary
Chum (Yellow) is a 2022 open edition vinyl figure released through KAWSONE, measuring 11.6 inches tall with a $280 retail price. It is one of five colorways — black, white, pink, orange, and yellow — issued on August 9, 2022 to mark the 20th anniversary of Chum's first vinyl release, a signed 2002 edition of 1,000. The character itself is KAWS's reworking of the Michelin Man: a bloated, segmented figure with the artist's crossbones head and X eyes. The yellow version is finished in a single flat yellow across the whole sculpt and ships in a yellow color-coded KAWS box. As with all KAWSONE open editions, figures are unnumbered and were produced for the release window rather than to a stated cap.
Why It Matters
The Chum reissue set is the clearest example of KAWS treating his own back catalog as canon — reviving a 2002 character at scale, in a spread of colorways, through his own retail channel. Chum also carries more art-historical weight than most vinyl releases: it is appropriation in the direct lineage of his subverted advertising work, a corporate mascot absorbed into his character universe. Yellow, the brightest of the five 2022 colorways, is the one collectors most often pair against the black original for contrast.
Collector Perspective
WorthPoint sold-listing data shows 20 recorded sales for the yellow Chum, with a median of $262.50 — essentially at the $280 retail — across a range of $50 to $399, most recently in October 2025. The $50 low end reflects damaged or loose examples rather than the market for complete pieces; boxed figures cluster near the median. With five colorways splitting demand, no single 2022 Chum has run away in price, so complete packaging and clean paint are what move an example toward the top of the range.
FAQ
What does the KAWS Chum figure depict?
Chum is KAWS's appropriation of the Michelin Man, rebuilt with his skull-and-crossbones head and X-ed out eyes. The inflated, tire-segmented body has appeared in his paintings and sculpture since the late 1990s.
What is the edition size of the 2022 yellow Chum?
There is no published edition size — it is an open edition, unnumbered by design. Production ran for the August 2022 KAWSONE release rather than to a fixed count.
Is the yellow Chum signed?
No. KAWSONE open editions carry molded production markings but are not hand-signed. Only the original 2002 Chum, an edition of 1,000, was issued signed.
How common are fake 2022 Chum figures?
Common enough that provenance matters more than visual inspection. Verify the molded copyright markings and the color-coded box, and buy from a trusted dealer who guarantees authenticity rather than relying on marketplace photos.
Why did KAWS release Chum in 2022?
The release marked 20 years since the first Chum vinyl figure in 2002. KAWS issued it as an open edition in five colorways through KAWSONE on August 9, 2022, making the character accessible beyond the original 1,000-piece signed edition.