Kawsbob (yellow)
Kawsbob (yellow)
Signed Print
KAWS
£9,000-£14,000Value
Indicator
$17,000-$27,000 Value Indicator
$15,000-$24,000 Value Indicator
¥80,000-¥130,000 Value Indicator
€10,500-€16,000 Value Indicator
$90,000-$140,000 Value Indicator
¥1,680,000-¥2,610,000 Value Indicator
$11,500-$18,000 Value Indicator
This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.
There aren’t enough data points on this work for a comprehensive result. Please speak to a specialist by making an enquiry.
Medium: Screenprint
Format: Signed Print
Year: 2011
Size: H 51cm x W 51cm
Edition size: 100
Signed: Yes
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Track auction value trend
The vibrant screenprint Kawsbob (yellow) by KAWS, created in 2011, is a signed piece with an estimated value between £9,000 and £14,000. In the last 12 months, the average return to the seller has been £9,707, with a total of 3 sales. Over the past five years, the hammer price has varied from £8,008 in September 2023 to a high of £40,676 in December 2018. Since its first sale in September 2013, Kawsbob (yellow) has been sold 11 times at auction, showing an average annual growth rate of 1%. This artwork is part of a limited edition of 100.
Auction Results
| Auction Date | Auction House | Artwork | Hammer Price | Return to Seller | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2023 | Phillips New York - United States | Kawsbob (yellow) - Signed Print | |||
| April 2023 | Phillips New York - United States | Kawsbob (yellow) - Signed Print | |||
| March 2023 | Christie's Amsterdam - Netherlands | Kawsbob (yellow) - Signed Print | |||
| July 2022 | Christie's New York - United States | Kawsbob (yellow) - Signed Print | |||
| October 2021 | Sotheby's New York - United States | Kawsbob (yellow) - Signed Print | |||
| September 2021 | Phillips Hong Kong - Hong Kong | Kawsbob (yellow) - Signed Print | |||
| October 2019 | Sotheby's New York - United States | Kawsbob (yellow) - Signed Print |
Meaning & Analysis
Continuing his practice of incorporating beloved cartoon characters into his work – previously he has turned to The Smurfs, The Simpsons and Mickey Mouse – KAWS returns with Kawsbob, a close cropped image of everyone’s favourite sea dwelling sponge flooded with red in a masterful act of appropriation. This work particularly shows the influence of the father of Pop Art, Andy Warhol – who began by cropping a black and white publicity image of Marilyn Monroe which he then proceeded to drench in colour to create an icon from an icon – but while Warhol’s attitude to fame was perhaps one of reverence here we find KAWS’ use of pop culture more playful, perhaps even satirical, and perfectly at home in the ironic age of the early 21st century.
While SpongeBob’s large round eyes have been given the KAWS treatment, their pupils crossed out, his goofy smile and freckled cheeks remain instantly recognisable. This use of popular imagery speaks to KAWS’ ability to fit into the milieu of the everyman as well as the art collector. Speaking of his beginnings as a graffiti artist, which allowed him to proliferate his tag across Manhattan and New Jersey, he says, “When I was doing graffiti, my whole thought was, ‘I just want to exist.’ I want to exist with this visual language in the world… It meant nothing to me to make paintings if I wasn’t reaching people.” In this way KAWS is following in the footsteps of fellow Pop artists Warhol, Jean Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, working on the street and in editions to ensure his art reaches everyone. While his original artworks attract astronomical prices at auction his prints are still an affordable investment.
As well as creating screen prints of his work, KAWS has also collaborated with a number of streetwear brands ensuring even teens can wear one of his t shirts. He also sells his own line of Companion toys that have become his trademark collectable.
As contemporary art specialist Noah Davis has said, “No cartoon is safe from being consumed and turned into KAWS”, and in this work we see the artist’s powers of appropriation at their height, the flat art of the cartoon converted into a slick graphic screen print that will complement any collection of contemporary art. An artist at the height of his career KAWS continues to take the art world by storm with his irreverent approach to fine art, his unmistakable style winning the hearts of both kids and collectors.
