10 July 2009

Fig-lab presents the Millennial Monsters Series



Fig-lab presents the Millennial Monsters Series

Since the dawn of this new millennium an outstanding number of Japanese Character creators have emerged whose primary medium of expression is Japanese Vinyl. The Japanese vinyl figure has a 40 year legacy which attests to its integrity and durability as an artistic medium. In our on-demand fast turnaround post-modern world, the means of production have been made available to independent artists who can now create smaller runs than demanded by the tool and die mentality of the previous century. This further evidenced by the increasing number of creators worldwide who crossing over from the mass produced milieu of the factory back to the province of the craftsmen of Japan's vinyl trade.

Millennial Monsters will be a series of exclusive releases from Fig-lab of recent original Japanese vinyl figures in a signature color way. Many of the figures chosen for the series have been sculpted and painted by the artists themselves. All are self-financed labors of love. The objective of the series to highlight some of these outstanding creators, producers and their endearing characters. In addition to the releases themselves, effort will be made to showcase the the backstories of the characters, a history of the figure and an insight to the creative process of each artist.

The first three releases from the series will be available in San Diego at the Onell Design/GFS2009 booth (#4937)

The name of the series is an unabashed homage to the book Millennial Monsters: Japanese Toys and the Global Imagination by Anne Allison, which is the most outstanding book I have ever read about post-war Japanese society and its relationship with the west through toys, characters and entertainment.

08 July 2009

GLOBAL FIGURE SYMPOSIUM 2009


San Diego Convention Center
July 22 - 26

The Symposium will be a 5-day session with a variety of panels and presentations. GSF2009 is graciously hosted by Onell Design and Callgrim at the San Diego Convention Center (SDCC#4937) . Don 'Datadub' Kratzer - Director of the International Figure Research Laboratory - will be giving the keynote and holding daily morning sessions on recent trends in figure culture from the far east. Afternoon sessions will feature many illustrious guest speakers and special exhibit. The final day will be an open day workshop to recap everything that was covered during the Symposium.

Chairman's Summary of the Global Figure Symposium
1. Share information about the dynamism of vinyl culture and its future: recent material developments, deformation theory and anticipated creature trends.

2. Explain the role of independently produced figures in promoting global economic growth and development and the collective accumulation impulse'S expanding contribution to the infrastructure for a global figure economy.

3. Highlight the value of the application of techno-animism and polymorphous perversity, drawing on examples from developed and developing cross-pollination projects.

SCHEDULE (subject to modification)UPDATED! *07/10*
07/22 wed
6pm - 9pm Fig-lab
KEYNOTE: Crawling Out from the Primordial Slime

07/23 thurs
9:30am - 1pm Fig-lab
TOPIC: Topological Taxonomies : Mutants, Monsters & the Kai-Kya Horror Show
Featuring works from: Real x Head, Skulltoys, Blobpus, Monstock + more

1pm - 3pm Millennial Masters
PANEL DISCUSSION: Phantasmagoric Color Collisions

3pm - 5pm Dead Presidents
TOPIC: Kandy Kolored Kaiju

5pm - 7pm Fig-lab: Topological Taxonomies (reprise)


07/24 fri
9:30am - 1pm Fig-lab
TOPIC: Far East, Far Out:
Featuring works from: Zarigni Works, Goccodo, Art Denka, Uamou, Pop Soda, Spooky Parade, Hariken + more

1pm - 3pm Paul Kaiju
TOPIC: Applied Dream Projection Theory vis-a-vis Vinyl Style Evolution.

3pm - 5pm Suckadelic
TOPIC: Pop Iconography Piracy for Fun and Profit

5pm - 7pm Fig-lab - Far East, Far Out (reprise)

07/25 sat
9:30am - 1pm Fig-lab
TOPIC: Kaiju Invasion: the Third Wave
Featuring works from: Cord Viper, Yamomark, Sinbad, Dr. Strange Toys + more

1pm - 3pm Monstre Hero
TOPIC: Resinator Salvation

3pm - 5pm MISHKA
TOPIC: Straight Outta Brooklyn

5pm - 7pm Fig-lab - Kaiju Invasion: the third wave (reprise)

07/26 sun
9:30am - 5pm Open Day Workshop

02 June 2009

Monstre Hero


Line-up, originally uploaded by monstrehero.

Looks like the cast from the new All Rider Movie

22 May 2009

Jet Pack!!!



gotta get me on of these. wonder what colors it comes in???

21 May 2009

LUCHABear by Lamour Supreme


LUCHABear, originally uploaded by LAMOURSupreme.

L'amour Supreme's killer illustration of Itokin's Lucha Bear!

Norton Fighter Car???


N.O.C.????360??????, originally uploaded by ytkidd1972.

Have no idea where they are going with this...

20 May 2009

Paul Kaiju - Many Mey finger puppet II


Meneme finger puppet II, originally uploaded by Paulkaiju.

WIIIIIIILD!

17 May 2009

Odd fungus Pop Soda Superman by Paul Kaiju


Odd fungus PS, originally uploaded by Paulkaiju.

Wow - what a spectacular custom!