Reclining by West Lake on a Pillow of Moonlight: All-Yellow Osmanthus KAWS:HOLIDAY Hangzhou Stop Debuts 30-Meter Robot COMPANION

As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches and autumn sets in, the global KAWS:HOLIDAY touring exhibition arrives with a new surprise. Renowned contemporary artist KAWS has once again teamed up with longtime partner AllRightsReserved (ARR) and local collaborator Hangzhou Hang Lung Plaza to bring this iconic large-scale art installation to Liulang Wenying (Orioles Singing in the Willows), one of the Ten Scenes of West Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Hangzhou.

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30-meter “robot” COMPANION reclines by West Lake

By West Lake, shimmering waters mingle with the dark hues of the distant mountains. The 30-meter COMPANION reclines on the lawn in a relaxed pose, as if resting on a pillow of the lakeside’s moonlit scenery.

Unlike previous stops on the tour, KAWS is presenting COMPANION in a “robot” form for the first time. Its bold, futuristic lines reflect Hangzhou’s identity as a city of innovation and vitality, while the installation’s warm, soft yellow hue takes inspiration from osmanthus, Hangzhou’s city flower. As osmanthus fragrance fills the air in golden autumn, KAWS pays tribute to the traditional intangible cultural heritage of Mid-Autumn moon viewing at West Lake through the language of contemporary pop art, bringing futuristic technology and classical poetic sentiment into a quiet, gentle dialogue amid the lake, mountains, and greenery.

Limited-edition merchandise for the Hangzhou stop

To coincide with the opening of the Hangzhou stop, an exclusive limited-edition collection is also launching. The highlight is a 10-inch robot COMPANION figure, available in “glossy yellow” and “matte black,” each with a custom embossed collector’s box and NFC anti-counterfeiting chip. The artist also incorporates Eastern tea culture into the designs, offering a refined ceramic gaiwan tea set with a wooden tray, along with an intricately crafted 33 mm-tall brass incense holder with a wooden box. For collectors who appreciate well-made lifestyle objects, the tea set and incense holder are well worth watching.

Beyond sculptures and tea sets, the collection also includes everyday clothing and lifestyle goods. It features a 100% cotton hoodie in black and gray, along with a short-sleeve T-shirt in black and white. Both come in sizes M and L and have a clean, easygoing cut. Lifestyle accessories include a ceramic mug simply printed with a signature graphic from the exhibition. All merchandise is extremely limited and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, so fans should keep an eye on the sale time.

The KAWS:HOLIDAY Hangzhou exhibition officially opens on September 24 and runs through 8 p.m. on September 27. Admission to Liulang Wenying is free. All merchandise goes on sale at Hangzhou Hang Lung Plaza at 2 p.m. on September 24, while DDT Store begins global online sales at 10 a.m. on September 24.

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