Stan Manoukian

It’s Kondo time!

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Stan Manoukian is an incredible painter and illustrator, but his foray into vinyl toys has been just as stunning! We are happy to present an opportunity to pick up some of his toys as part of the Lost Worlds show – below are some of his Kondo colourways which will be available.

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Of course, there will also be a special Stranger Factory colourway in our favourite vintage Halloweeney colours…we’ll show you that one real soon!

“Lost Worlds” opens this Friday, August 2 at Stranger Factory!

Stan Manoukian’s watercolours in progress

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Stan Manoukian’s one of our favourite new artists here at Stranger Factory, and we’ll be bringing you a one-two punch of Manoukian’s wondrous monsters in the next few months. Not only will he be presenting his work at our Lost Worlds group show in August, releasing a Stranger Factory colourway of his Kondo figure, but his monsters will also be travelling to Japan for Monsters and Misfits III! So much Stan, so little time!

For now, take a peek at some of the watercolours in progress that Stan is whipping up for the Lost Worlds show. No matter whether you like them blobby or scaley or spikey or horned, Stan has a monster for you!

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Stan Manoukian’s Kondo Headers

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We’ve got a wonderful Stan Manoukian monster flavored surprise for you coming up for our big kaiju show in August – a terrific Stranger Factory colourway of his Kondo figure.

We’ll show you a picture of the figure shortly once we barrel into press for the August show, but Stan whipped up some custom silkscreened header cards for the figure, and they are looking amaaaazing.

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Lost Worlds: Creatures From Beyond

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August 2013 brings a new group exhibit to Stranger Factory featuring the incredible monsters of Paul Kaiju, James Groman, Josh Herbolsheimer, Stan Manoukian, Joe Merril, Goccodo, and Mutant Vinyl Hardcore.

LOST WORLDS showcases the incredible creatures of a variety of top monster makers in the pop surrealist, kaiju, and art toy fields. From the gleeful carousing of French artist Stan Manoukian’s alien creatures to the unsettling realism of Ohio artist James Groman’s sculpts, the roster for LOST WORLDS promises to provide creatures for all tastes.

The exhibit runs August 2nd – September 1st, with an opening reception on Friday, August 2nd from 6 – 9 PM.

PAUL KAIJU is a designer, sculptor, and painter working away at his kaiju creations in sunny San Diego, California. Known as much for his custom paint work as for his original toys such as Boss Carrion, Paul’s work is recognized as some of the best in the American Kaiju scene.

JAMES GROMAN is a sculptor, illustrator, and Toy & Animation Character Designer who has worked on everything from custom model kits to the famous Madball series. His work ranges from sculpts to comics to consumer goods, and his work is impeccable.

JOSH HERBOLSHEIMER is an artist, toy designer, and graphic designer in San Francisco. His paintings have a unique, organic style that complement his toy design while giving each their own unique style.

STAN MANOUKIAN is a Paris-based artist whose inhuman flora and fauna exude more personality and backstory than you can imagine from 2D drawings. With a truly unique eye for creature design, Manoukian’s creations are simply brilliant.

JOE MERRILL is a kaiju figure painter and toy designer whose work is quickly become a fan favorite among modern kaiju collectors. With original creations like the Diggler and the Cadaver Twins, Merrill’s work is a fresh voice in the modern kaiju industry.

GOCCODO is the working name for collaborative design by Japanese artists Shigeta and Shinpei Tanaka. With a whimsical and uniquely Japanese pop design sensibility, Goccodo brings a more childlike aesthetic to the Lost Worlds monster lineup.

MUTANT VINYL HARDCORE creates hyper detailed and gloriously disgusting modern kaiju figures. Designed in the US but manufactured in Japan, MVH bridges the gap between traditional Japanese monster making and the American desire for biggest, better, faster, and significantly more disgusting.

Stranger Factory
109 Carlisle Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
505-508-3049

Monsters & Misfits III

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You have waited over a year, now get ready, because Monsters & Misfits III is coming back this September to Takayama, Japan!

We’ll have more news coming soon, but we have a few new artists joining in the fun, and we can’t wait to show you what our artists have been cooking up for you!

Stan Manoukian’s new “Gork” figure from Unbox Industries

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Brand new Circus Posterus member Stan Manoukian, along with Unbox Industries are taunting us  with a new vinyl figure.

Since this is only a teaser, information is slim, but the preliminary name of this new 4-armed  piece is  “Gork”. From the images out there, it looks like this guy has a brain on his back that is screaming for the glow in the dark treatment. Gork, looks like he is at the gym as much as me, but he rocks two huge arms for pounding and two smaller t-rex arms for coffee drinking. I am sure there will be multiple colorways and hopefully – more glowing goodness. Keep an eye on Stan’s site for more hints down the road, but until then, here are a few more images.

Stan will also be showing at Stranger Factory in August, and we definitely have more news on that front coming up soon!

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Welcome the Newest Members of Circus Posterus

We can’t hold it in any longer or we may burst! We are happy to present the extremely good looking and classy new Circus Posterus artists: Valency Genis, Shing Khor, Stan Manoukian, Carisa Swenson, and Scott Wetterschneider!

We are proud to have them as part of the Circus Posterus family! In the coming weeks, we will focus more on these fine creators, but for now, please look at their sites and bios right here http://www.circusposterus.com/artists

Now, please give them a round of applause and make them feel welcome!

Valency Genis

Shing Yin Khor

Stan Manoukian

Carisa Swenson

Scott Wetterschneider

Diary of Inhuman Species: A Conversation with Stan Manoukian

Manoukian logging his latest discovery

Stan Manoukian saw his first monster at age thirteen. Out for an early morning fishing trip with his father, the fog loomed heavily above the water at the edge of the lake. With his rod in the water, the young Manoukian waited patiently for a tug on his line. But nothing came. And soon, he noticed everything around him had stopped. The sing-song of nearby birds, the rustling of leaves on the breeze; time, he said, seemed suspended.

The boy looked back in search of his father, who was still fussing with his fishing gear at the car. Stan turned his attention back to the dead calm of the water in front of him, and that’s when he saw it. A ripple, a big one, disturbing the glassiness of the water about 10 meters away, where the fog was heaviest. His eyes grew wide. He inched his toes closer to the water, but found he was already at the edge. The ripples approached. Stan could only watch. As they grew closer, the giant head of an unknown aquatic creature broke the surface of the water. Its skin was smooth, the gaze of its one eye arresting.

"Hughmee"

“Hughmee” 9.6″ x 7.6″ mixed media on lithograph paper

“It wasn’t dangerous looking at all,” Manoukian, now 43, recalls. “It was a mix between a fish and a human, with two big arms and tentacle fingers. We watched each other for probably only a few seconds, but the exchange felt interminable. My father came back from his car and nature returned to life; the creature disappeared in the blink of an eye and suddenly I had a big fish on my fishing rod! I guess it was a present from this creature as proof of our meeting.”

Since then, the Parisian artist sees monsters all the time, and everywhere. Even in the shower. “But you know, they don’t care about nudity,” he laughs, “nudity is liberty!”

Read More »Diary of Inhuman Species: A Conversation with Stan Manoukian