Name: Dissected Companion (grey)
Brand: KAWS
Rating: 5 (236 reviews)

Track auction value trend

The value of KAWS’s Dissected Companion (grey) (signed) is estimated to be worth between £4,150 and £6,000. This screenprint, created in 2006, has shown consistent value growth, with an average annual growth rate of 6%. This work has an auction history of seven total sales since its entry to the market in April 2009. In the last five years, the hammer price has ranged from £6,249 in September 2020 to £12,682 in June 2022. The average return to the seller during this period was £7,352. The edition size of this artwork is limited to 100.

Meaning & Analysis

Dissected Companion (grey) is a signed silkscreen print on paper made by the critically acclaimed American artist and designer, KAWS in 2006. Rendered in black, white and grey, the print depicts KAWS’ much-loved cartoon character, Companion. Companion’s appearance is altered significantly in this print, as half of his body has had its flesh removed, exposing his internal organs, muscles and skeleton. Through rendering Companion in such a way, KAWS anthropomorphises Companion, making him seem like a living being, as opposed to a mere cartoon character.

The print comes in two different iterations, Dissected Companion (black) and Dissected Companion (brown). The three versions can also be seen alongside the other works in the Companion collection, all of which are centred around depicting the iconic cartoon character that KAWS created in 1999 while exploring street art and graffiti in New York.

As seen in this print, Companion is characterised by his Mickey Mouse like figure, his skull and crossbone head and his crossed out eyes. The cartoon character’s features carry an air of morbidity, which can be read as a sardonic comment on globalised culture and the state of contemporary society.