Brian Donnelly, the ex-Disney illustrator better known as KAWS, created his first vinyl toy in 1999: an eight-inch “Companion” whose round belly, noodly limbs, and white gloves immediately reminded viewers of the cartoons made famous by his former workplace. The limited edition toy, produced in collaboration with the Japanese brand Bounty Hunter, reflected KAWS’s desire to make his work more accessible to the public. In the years since, KAWS has rendered most of his signature characters in three dimensions, including Chum, Bendy, and Blitz, as well as his renditions of iconic cartoons like Tweety, Snoopy, and Pinocchio. When first released, these sculptures often sell out in just seconds. When the Museum of Modern Art promoted KAWS’s toys in its design store, collector demand was so high that the museum’s website crashed multiple times.

In what some may consider one of the most highly sought after toys in recent memory comes an in-depth look at this special collaboration between KAWS and Star Wars. Much detail and thought was implemented in the creation of this toy as evidenced by the costume and the control panel on the chest.

(i) stamped with the artist’s name, fabricator, date and location of manufacture, and collaborator copyright '©2007 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved Designed by KAWS MEDICOM TOY 2007 CHINA' on the underside

KAWS is a Brooklyn-based artist whose influential body of work masterfully synthesizes the worlds of art and design. Across painting, murals, large-scale sculpture, and street art, as well as graphic and production design, his work possesses a sophisticated humor and thoughtful interplay with consumer products through collaborations with global brands. KAWS is often inspired by and appropriates pop culture animations to form a unique artistic vocabulary that spans a broad range of mediums. Now admired for his larger-than-life sculptures and hard-edge paintings that emphasize line and color, KAWS has created a cast of hybrid cartoon and human characters that are perhaps the strongest examples of his exploration of humanity. KAWS has exhibited extensively throughout the United States and internationally. Recent solo exhibitions of his work have been held at institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum; the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth; the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts; the Yuz Museum; Yorkshire Sculpture Park; and the Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga. He has also participated in exhibitions at major institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego; the Newcomb Art Museum; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; and the Deste Art Foundation for Contemporary Art.