KAWS, Urge II (Maroon), 2020

In Urge II (Maroon) (2020), KAWS continues his emotionally charged Urge series, using his iconic Companion character to explore themes of internal conflict and vulnerability. The work centers on a deep maroon background, over which four vividly colored gloved hands — in shades of peach, orange, lavender, and red — press against the figure’s chest and face. Each hand bears the artist’s signature X mark, symbolizing both identity and emotional constraint.

The interplay of color is crucial here: the warm maroon and red tones evoke intimacy, tension, and the heat of emotion, while the lighter hues suggest fleeting tenderness and fragility. Through this palette, KAWS transforms a simple pop-inspired image into a complex emotional study, revealing the contradictions between comfort and control, affection and suffocation.

Like the other works in the Urge series, Urge II (Maroon) invites reflection on human connection and the pressures of self-awareness in a modern, image-saturated world. The crosshatched detailing and tightly framed composition heighten the sense of compression — as if the Companion figure is caught within the grasp of its own thoughts or the expectations of others.

By merging cartoon language with psychological depth, KAWS presents a poignant meditation on the emotional realities beneath the surface of contemporary culture. Urge II (Maroon) stands as a striking example of his ability to balance bold visual design with genuine empathy, transforming pop iconography into a mirror of the human condition.