Gauntlet Gallery — Complete KAWS Index
Companion 2020 — Grey
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Companion 2020 is an open edition vinyl figure KAWS released through KAWSONE on December 17, 2020, marking twenty years of the Companion character. Instead of standing, the figure lies completely face down — arms at its sides, body pressed flat against whatever surface it rests on — a pose widely read as KAWS's comment on how that year felt. The grey colorway is the palest of the three versions issued (grey, brown, black) and retailed for $380. Because it lies flat, the piece measures roughly 17.1 inches long by 8.9 inches wide and rises only about 3.15 inches off the surface. It shipped in KAWS-branded packaging with the artist's copyright markings molded on the figure itself.
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
Most Companion releases stand, sit, or recline; Companion 2020 is the only KAWSONE open edition that lies face down. That makes it both a milestone piece — issued for the character's twentieth anniversary — and a time capsule of the year it names. Collectors treat it as part of the core named-sculpture Companion line alongside Small Lie, Together, and Share, and its horizontal format displays unlike anything else in the series, which keeps it in steady demand among people building complete Companion shelves.
Collector Perspective
Our WorthPoint sold-listing analysis shows 45 recorded sales for the grey colorway, with a median of $450 against the $380 retail — one of the few 2020-era open editions still trading above issue price. Results range from $159.99 for loose or flawed examples up to $625 for clean boxed pieces, and the most recent recorded sale was June 2026, so the market remains active. Condition of the flat underside and presence of the original box account for most of that spread.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned sculpture / object
- Release date
- 2020
- 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 2020.
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 Companion 2020 figure depict?
It depicts KAWS's Companion character — the gloved, X-eyed figure derived from Mickey Mouse — lying completely face down with arms at its sides. KAWS released it in December 2020 for the Companion's 20th anniversary, and the collapsed pose is generally read as a portrait of that year's exhaustion.
What is the edition size of Companion 2020?
It is an unnumbered open edition — KAWS never published a production quantity, and individual figures carry no edition number. Supply was set by how many orders KAWSONE accepted during the release window, which sold out quickly at $380.
Is Companion 2020 signed by KAWS?
No. Open edition vinyl figures are not individually signed. Authenticity markers are molded and printed instead: KAWS copyright text on the figure and the branded box it shipped in. A hand signature on one of these would itself warrant scrutiny.
How do I know a Companion 2020 is authentic?
Counterfeits of this figure are common. Check the crispness of the copyright stamping, the paint separation between the grey tones, and the quality of the box printing — fakes are typically softer in all three. The safest route is buying from a trusted dealer who guarantees authenticity rather than an unvetted marketplace listing.
Why is the Companion 2020 figure lying down?
The face-down pose was KAWS's response to 2020 itself — a Companion flattened by the year, released as the character turned twenty. It is the only pose of its kind in the KAWSONE open edition line, and it means the figure displays horizontally, needing shelf depth of about 17 inches rather than height.
