NOWNESS: KAWS Companion at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

NOWNESS released a profound, albeit short film documenting KAWS‘ Companion at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The piece, which was directed by Jake Sumner, adds to the discussion of the effect KAWS’ character might have had on pop culture. Entitled “KAWS: Companion at the Parade,” the film reminds us that we live in a mass culture that celebrates icons. In the context of Nickelodeon and Disney characters, those which we have integrated into our understanding of the world, those which transcend a generational gap, KAWS’ character stands just out of the norm. Beyond Companion’s massive presence, the viewer is forced to recognize his action: Companion is covering its face. Whether out of shyness or other feelings, KAWS’ Companion represents a shift in how we understand varieties of people, especially given his origins in graffiti–an art form that also lies just outside of the status quo. Sumner’s documentary does well to make a subtle, yet essential point about understanding the impact of Companion at the parade, and is definitely worth the view.