Ups And Downs
by KAWS
Year: 2013
Medium: The complete set of 10 screenprints in colors, on Saunders Waterford High White paper
Size: 35 × 23 in (each) (88.9 × 58.4 cm)
Edition of 100 plus 20 artist’s proofs
Comprising a complete suite of ten color screenprints, KAWS’ Ups And Downs (2013) is executed on Saunders Waterford High White paper, each measuring 35 × 23 inches (88.9 × 58.4 cm), from an edition of 100 plus 20 artist’s proofs. The series showcases the artist’s mastery of sequential imagery and contemporary symbolism, exploring emotion and visual rhythm. Its complete format, limited availability, and documented edition make it a prestigious collector acquisition.
Ups and Downs is a compelling work from KAWS’ mature artistic practice, reflecting the artist’s ongoing exploration of emotion, balance, and the challenges of modern life. First introduced through KAWS’ studio and gallery practice, the work was created as a fine art piece rather than a street graffiti intervention. While KAWS’ early career was shaped by public art and altered advertisements, Ups and Downs represents his evolution into a globally recognized contemporary artist working through sculpture, painting, and limited editions.
The title suggests movement between success and struggle, creating a visual conversation about uncertainty, resilience, and human experience. Through KAWS’ signature characters and simplified forms, the artwork transforms familiar imagery into a reflection on emotional highs and lows. The piece explores themes of vulnerability, perseverance, nostalgia, and the complexity of personal journeys while maintaining the approachable quality that defines KAWS’ work.
Collectors value Ups and Downs for its emotional depth and its connection to KAWS’ expanding body of character-based works. Its rarity, limited availability, and strong international demand continue to enhance its significance within the contemporary art market.
At ArtLife Gallery, we see Ups and Downs as a meaningful expression of KAWS’ artistic development. Related to Companion, Separated, Lost Time, and Tension, it reflects the artist’s ability to turn universal emotions into highly collectible contemporary artworks with lasting cultural impact.
KAWS, born Brian Donnelly in Jersey City in 1974, has become one of contemporary art’s most recognisable figures by moving between street art, fine art, fashion, and design. After studying illustration at New York’s School of Visual Arts, he worked in animation while developing a graffiti practice that soon evolved into a distinctive artistic language.
His iconic characters, including Companion, BFF, Chum, and Accomplice, blend cartoon-inspired forms with X-shaped eyes and expressive gestures. Beneath their playful appearance, KAWS explores isolation, friendship, consumer culture, and human connection. These figures have appeared across paintings, sculptures, drawings, vinyl editions, and public works, creating a visual identity that is instantly recognisable.
Collaboration became a defining part of his career. Partnerships with Medicom Toy, Uniqlo, Nike, Dior, Supreme, and other global names helped blur the boundaries between contemporary art, fashion, product design, and popular culture. His Tokyo label, OriginalFake, strengthened this crossover during the 2000s. Even today, KAWS’ approach to collaboration shows how art can move naturally between galleries, retail spaces, and everyday life.
KAWS has exhibited internationally at major museums and institutions, presenting paintings, sculptures, drawings, and collectibles to audiences far beyond the traditional gallery system. His ability to pair accessibility with artistic ambition has made him a defining figure in 21st-century visual culture. This wide reach also helps explain why KAWS has become so famous.
His influence extends into the global art market, where scarcity, edition size, provenance, condition, and cultural significance can affect value. For anyone considering investing in KAWS art, understanding the factors behind his investment market and the prices achieved at auction offers useful context for evaluating his enduring position in contemporary art.
More KAWS Works to Explore
Ups And Downs
by KAWS
Year: 2013
Medium: The complete set of 10 screenprints in colors, on Saunders Waterford High White paper
Size: 35 × 23 in (each) (88.9 × 58.4 cm)
Edition of 100 plus 20 artist’s proofs
Comprising a complete suite of ten color screenprints, KAWS’ Ups And Downs (2013) is executed on Saunders Waterford High White paper, each measuring 35 × 23 inches (88.9 × 58.4 cm), from an edition of 100 plus 20 artist’s proofs. The series showcases the artist’s mastery of sequential imagery and contemporary symbolism, exploring emotion and visual rhythm. Its complete format, limited availability, and documented edition make it a prestigious collector acquisition.
Ups and Downs is a compelling work from KAWS’ mature artistic practice, reflecting the artist’s ongoing exploration of emotion, balance, and the challenges of modern life. First introduced through KAWS’ studio and gallery practice, the work was created as a fine art piece rather than a street graffiti intervention. While KAWS’ early career was shaped by public art and altered advertisements, Ups and Downs represents his evolution into a globally recognized contemporary artist working through sculpture, painting, and limited editions.
The title suggests movement between success and struggle, creating a visual conversation about uncertainty, resilience, and human experience. Through KAWS’ signature characters and simplified forms, the artwork transforms familiar imagery into a reflection on emotional highs and lows. The piece explores themes of vulnerability, perseverance, nostalgia, and the complexity of personal journeys while maintaining the approachable quality that defines KAWS’ work.
Collectors value Ups and Downs for its emotional depth and its connection to KAWS’ expanding body of character-based works. Its rarity, limited availability, and strong international demand continue to enhance its significance within the contemporary art market.
At ArtLife Gallery, we see Ups and Downs as a meaningful expression of KAWS’ artistic development. Related to Companion, Separated, Lost Time, and Tension, it reflects the artist’s ability to turn universal emotions into highly collectible contemporary artworks with lasting cultural impact.
KAWS, born Brian Donnelly in Jersey City in 1974, has become one of contemporary art’s most recognisable figures by moving between street art, fine art, fashion, and design. After studying illustration at New York’s School of Visual Arts, he worked in animation while developing a graffiti practice that soon evolved into a distinctive artistic language.
His iconic characters, including Companion, BFF, Chum, and Accomplice, blend cartoon-inspired forms with X-shaped eyes and expressive gestures. Beneath their playful appearance, KAWS explores isolation, friendship, consumer culture, and human connection. These figures have appeared across paintings, sculptures, drawings, vinyl editions, and public works, creating a visual identity that is instantly recognisable.
Collaboration became a defining part of his career. Partnerships with Medicom Toy, Uniqlo, Nike, Dior, Supreme, and other global names helped blur the boundaries between contemporary art, fashion, product design, and popular culture. His Tokyo label, OriginalFake, strengthened this crossover during the 2000s. Even today, KAWS’ approach to collaboration shows how art can move naturally between galleries, retail spaces, and everyday life.
KAWS has exhibited internationally at major museums and institutions, presenting paintings, sculptures, drawings, and collectibles to audiences far beyond the traditional gallery system. His ability to pair accessibility with artistic ambition has made him a defining figure in 21st-century visual culture. This wide reach also helps explain why KAWS has become so famous.
His influence extends into the global art market, where scarcity, edition size, provenance, condition, and cultural significance can affect value. For anyone considering investing in KAWS art, understanding the factors behind his investment market and the prices achieved at auction offers useful context for evaluating his enduring position in contemporary art.