Doktor A

Doktor A’s ‘The Confectioner’ for Monsters & Misfits II

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Next up to bat from Doktor A for Monsters & Misfits II is The Confectioner, an organic chemist and Joshua Hipplewaithe’s co-conspirator in candy creation. Here’s his story:

Organic Chemist by trade Archibald Schpoon enjoyed cookery as a hobby.
Upon a chance meeting with Joshua Hipplethwaite he began experimenting with confectionary and soon it became a driving passion.
He delved into the conundrum of complex and unusual ingredient combinations and the unexpected effects that they could have on some types of Mechtorians.
Ever pushing and blurring the boundaries of what was possible within the fields of exquisite delicacies and recreational pharmaceuticals.

Fashioned from vinyl, acrylic, epoxy resin, polymer clay, lead, rubber and found objects, the Dok delivers yet another showstopper original sculpt for the collectors in Japan. More snaps of the candy man are below!

M&MII Video: The Journey So Far

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The artists have landed. The exhibition is hung. It’s now time to soak it all in. And while most of us will only be attending the opening reception of Monsters & Misfits II in spirit, Shinji has whipped together a video of the adventure thus far: from the airport, to driving through the winding roads of Hirayu and Takayama, right up to the Kusakabe Folk Museum, where the show is being set up. Have a watch; it’s magical.

Monsters & Misfits II opens tonight in Japan at the Kusakabe Folk Museum in Takayama

Doktor A’s ‘Candy Factory’ for Monsters & Misfits II

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Two weeks ago, Doktor A shared a photo on Facebook that partially revealed what he deems his most complex sculpture to date: an original creation that he had toiled over for a month for Japan’s Monsters & Misfits II exhibition. That sculpture is ‘Candy Factory’ and thanks to Shinji and his Tomeno Blog, we have an in-depth look at this amazingly elaborate gummy candy maker. His story:

Joshua Hipplethwaite
Confectioner and innovator, Joshua is the creator of the renown Ee-by-Gum, chewing candy.
This popular delicacy has an odd intoxicating effect on steam driven Mechtorians, but is repugnant to those who are spring wound.
One of the fastest selling sweets in history, its long term effects are unknown and its prohibition has been called for in some quarters.
Though he does not partake himself Joshua wised to dispense his product as far as possible.
To this end he rebuilt his own body so he could crank out the candy wherever he travelled.
First one is free! And they always come back for more.

The whole thing blows my mind, to be honest, but the sugar bottles in the back add such a sadness to it:

Wasted chances, forgotten dreams and unfulfilled ambition? Damn, that’s some heavy stuff right thurr. But more on the sweeter side of sugar land: the faux candies are actually soft and squishy. I know, right?! More photos of the Candy Factory (and its engineers) are below and via Dok’s blog, here!

Monsters & Misfits II opens April 13th (today in Japan!) at the Kusakabe Folk Museum in Takayama.

New Sneaks from the Monsters & Misfits II Catalog

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Circus Posterus’ catalog for this year’s Monsters & Misfits exhibition is hot off the press and Shinji over at Tomenosuke-syoten has granted us a sneak peek at some of the pages. Showcasing selected works from each of the exhibiting artists, the 48-page, full-color catalog will be available for purchase on opening night and will likely be part of the online sale, as well. To the collectors outside of Asia who are looking to take home a piece of this exhibition, the online sale will be taking place at midnight on April 14th, which I believe will be Saturday morning/afternoon for many of us. To be safe, keep checking the Monsters & Misfits II banner near the bottom of the Tomenosuke homepage (right now it should say ‘coming soon’ when you click on it). If this sale is being handled similar to last year, the preview page will be up before it goes live to give collectors a chance to look at everything (preview instructions are usually included on this page, as well). Good luck to all the collectors and best wishes to Brandt, Kathie, Chris and Amanda as they attend their first Japanese reception!

The Kusakabe Folk Museum Prepares for the Monsters

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There’s no turning back now: the show poster is up at the Kusakabe Folk Museum, officially kicking off celebrations for Monsters & Misfits II, opening April 13th!

For those unfamiliar with the venue, the Kusakabe Folk Museum is a historical mecca of Japan. Once the home of the Kusakabes, a wealthy merchant family, the original house was burned down in 1875 and later rebuilt in 1879 by Jisuke Kawashiri, a famous architect from Hida. The 2-storey building is a magnificent example of Edo architecture: constructed from Japanese Cypress that’s finished with paint made from soot, it features beamed ceilings that extend a lofty 13m high, multiple rooms and a slightly slanted roof and latticed windows. Later designated as a cultural asset, the Kusakabe Folk Museum now plays host to educational retreats, arts events and many other cultural events. Be sure to visit the Kusakabe Folk Museum website for a huge spread of incredible visuals!

Monsters & Misfits II is a Circus Posterus group exhibition featuring new works from Chris Ryniak, Doktor A., Kathie Olivas, Brandt Peters and Amanda Louise Spayd. Hosted by Tomenosuke-syoten, the exhibition is on display through April 26th

Chris and Amanda’s Monsters Make it to Japan!

We’ve just received a fresh batch ‘o snaps from Shinji at Tomenosuke showing off a murder of monsters that just touched down in Japan! Fresh air must be nice after being a bubblewrap and cardboard sandwich for so long — they look exasperated. Best they catch up on some sleep now: it’s showtime in two weeks!

Monsters & Misfits II is a Circus Posterus group exhibition featuring new works from Chris Ryniak, Doktor A., Kathie Olivas, Brandt Peters and Amanda Louise Spayd. Hosted by Tomenosuke-syoten and the Kusakabe Folk Museum, the exhibition is on display April 13th through April 26th.

A Mysterious Box of Bots Lands in Japan …

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Tomenosuke’s Shinji Nakako recently received a most exciting box of bots from Doktor A for the fast-approaching Monsters & Misfits II exhibition. Thankfully, it appears everything arrived safe and sound after a roundabout trip from the UK to London, Paris, Mumbai and then China, before finally settling in Japan. Hopefully they were able to take in some of the sights!

A whole whack of sweet (literally) and retrobotic goodness awaits you below! Loving the collision of mad scientist and mystical whimsy of these pieces. Thanks for the teasers, Shinji!