KAWS turns Absolut’s bottle into a collector’s canvas

Absolut Vodka has turned its bottle into an artwork again, teaming up with KAWS for a limited-edition Artist Edition featuring his signature XX motif, CHUM character and a specially commissioned painting.

The collaboration has a neat piece of history behind it. In the 1990s, before the museum shows and global collectables, KAWS painted over an Andy Warhol Absolut poster as part of his early bus-shelter interventions. Now he is working inside the brand’s most recognisable asset rather than over it.

The design keeps Absolut’s apothecary-shaped bottle intact while using both sides as a small canvas. KAWS’ XX motif and CHUM character appear on the front, while the painting that inspired the edition is reproduced on the back.

It follows last year’s Keith Haring artist bottle, continuing Absolut’s long-running idea of putting art into people’s hands rather than keeping it inside galleries.

Creative credits released by Absolut name W+K London, with Builders Club on production and Pangolin PR.

KAWS created the original artwork.

“Our collaboration with KAWS reimagines the iconic Absolut bottle as a witty, unexpected work of art,” said Caroline Begley, U.S. Vice President of Marketing for Absolut.

KAWS added: “My goal is to allow art to meet people in unexpected places.”

The release also extends Absolut’s recent habit of using its bottle as the meeting point between different cultural worlds.

In January, the brand’s Absolut and Tabasco launch fused two instantly recognisable products into one unlikely collaboration.

The 40% ABV Absolut KAWS Artist Edition opened for US pre-orders on 1 October and will roll out through selected retailers for a limited time.

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