Gauntlet Gallery — Complete KAWS Index
Clean Slate — Black
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Clean Slate (Black) is a 2018 open edition vinyl figure, 14 inches tall, released December 9, 2018 through the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth's shop in partnership with KAWSONE at $480 retail. It depicts a Companion striding forward carrying two smaller, infant-scale Companions, one in each arm — a parental image unusual in KAWS's catalog. The vinyl is a scale reduction of CLEAN SLATE, the 21-foot bronze the Modern acquired in 2018, which stands over the museum's pond. The release came in three colorways — monochrome grey, brown, and all black — with the black version rendering all three figures in a single unified black. It is the largest and highest-priced figure in the 2018 named-sculpture releases, and like all open editions it is unnumbered.
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
Clean Slate is the rare KAWS release tied directly to a museum acquisition: the vinyl dropped alongside the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth taking the monumental bronze into its permanent collection, giving the figure institutional anchoring most vinyl toys lack. Thematically, the caretaker pose extends the relational turn that began with Together — the Companion here protects rather than mourns. The larger 14-inch scale and $480 price point also positioned it as the flagship of the named-sculpture line.
Collector Perspective
Our WorthPoint analysis records 36 sales for the black Clean Slate at a median of $865 — the strongest median in this group and a solid premium over $480 retail. The range runs $250 to $1,400, with the latest sale logged November 2025. Demand is driven by the museum-bronze connection, the larger sculpt, and a tighter original distribution than the standard KAWSONE drops, since it released through the Modern's channels. Complete boxed examples dominate the upper half of the range; loose figures account for most sales below $500.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned sculpture / object
- Release date
- 2018
- 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 2018.
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 Clean Slate depict?
A Companion figure walking forward while carrying two infant-sized Companions, one in each arm. It is a direct scale-down of the 21-foot bronze CLEAN SLATE in the collection of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
What is the edition size of Clean Slate (Black)?
No edition size was published — it is an unnumbered open edition. It released December 9, 2018 through the Modern's shop and online in grey, brown, and black colorways.
Is Clean Slate (Black) signed by KAWS?
No, the figure is not individually signed. Authentic examples carry molded production and copyright markings; the connection to KAWS is through the sanctioned production, not a signature.
How concerned should I be about fakes?
Clean Slate's price point makes it a target for counterfeiters. Examine the molded markings, joint fit where the small figures meet the arms, and box printing, and buy from a trusted dealer who documents sourcing and guarantees authenticity.
Why was Clean Slate released through a museum instead of KAWSONE?
The release coincided with the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth acquiring the monumental bronze version in 2018. The vinyl edition was sold through the museum's store and site as part of that partnership, which is also why distribution was tighter than typical KAWSONE drops.
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