Critical Review
Undefeated Billboard is a signed offset lithograph in colours on board made by the notorious American artist and designer, KAWS in 2004. The print comes in an edition size of 250 and depicts a bizarre landscape, which could be described as a dreamscape due to its surreal nature. The print is rendered in dark blues and purples, with lighter white and pink being used to depict KAWS’ beloved cartoon character, Companion, who is sitting with three other cartoon figures. The other figures, which appear to be two rabbits and an elephant, are rendered in KAWS’ characteristic visual style, identifiable by their crossed-out eyes, a signature element of KAWS’ graphic language.
Undefeated Billboard is part of the Companion collection, a selection of works produced by KAWS, all of which feature his iconic cartoon character, Companion. In each work, Companion is depicted in a different style and setting, reflecting KAWS’ boundless creativity. Companion was developed while KAWS was spray painting the streets of New York. Using spray paint, the artist would subvert adverts he found in the metro, phone booths and bus shelters, a practise that became known as ‘subvertising’. KAWS would embellish the adverts with cartoon characters, like Companion. Other characters the artist developed through subvertising were Accomplice, Chum and Bendy.
KAWS’ origins in street art and graffiti have led the artist to be compared to Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, two leading 20th century artists who emerged from the New York City graffiti subculture of the 1980s. It is clear that these prolific artists deeply influenced KAWS and his artistic practices.
