designed by nike's ceo

You've seen this little Be@rbrick in one of my earliest posts. But I'm devoting an entire entry just for it for two reasons:

1. It's my favorite Bearbrick. The edginess, the color palette, the rich and varied textures. Awesome!

2. It's designed by Mark Parker, the Chief Executive Officer of Nike Worldwide. Cool!

After earning a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science at Penn State University in 1977, Parker (left) joined Nike in 1979 as a footwear designer. After 27 years, his visionary leadership (he was the driving force behind Nike Air) has put the company at the forefront of the multibillion dollar sportswear and sports equipment business.

Wow, sounds like one of those guys who kids wanna be when they grow up... a billionaire Be@rbrick designer!

Bearbrick pic by Yours Truly / Copyright March 2013 Bearbrick Love / Mark Parker pic from Wikipedia

the art of david flores

Looking at David Flores's art is like staring at a stained glass window. Clearly defined lines separate solid colors of different shades or hues. Up close, you admire the precision, the craftsmanship. From afar, you enjoy the subject, the vision.

The difference is, you don't see his art inside any dimly-lit church – they're out on the streets: on skateboards, on covers of music zines, on t-shirts worn by celebs like Paris Hilton and skate legend Chad Muska, on tote bags, basebal caps, Oakley shades, Vans footwear, and even Kidrobot designer toys! You also catch them on store windows and hip art galleries in California and Tokyo.

That's the nice thing about David's work – it's accessible, affordable, useful, and sometimes, even machine-washable! It's art for the real world, if you ask me. :-)

(Top) The XLarge Bearbrick by David Flores was commissioned by XLarge, the famous hip-hop fashion store in L.A. where Ice Cube and the Beastie Boys' Mike D get their stuff! XLarge first opened on Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles. Now it has branches all over Japan and Taiwan.

Info from lagataaranya.blogspot.com, formatmag.com, www.xlarge.com / flores art pics from davidfloresart.com

andy, marilyn, and that crazy valerie

Andy Warhol, the famous protagonist of pop art and creator of the iconic serigraph portraits of Marilyn Monroe (below), had his share of caustic critics – and deadly enemies – during his lifetime.

One such enemy was a woman named Valerie Solanas, a radical feminist writer best known for the SCUM Manifesto (Society for Cutting Up Men), an essay on patriarchal culture which advocates the creation of an all-female society. I've attached a pic of her at the bottom, left.

She shot Warhol on June 3, 1968.

That day, she waited for him at The Factory, Warhol's New York City art studio. When he arrived, she fired three shots at him. Then she shot his companion, art critic Mario Amaya, and aimed at Warhol's manager, Fred Hughes, but her gun jammed.

Later that evening, she turned herself in to the police, confessing that Warhol had 'too much control over her life'.

Investigation revealed that Valerie had been demanding Warhol, who was also a indie filmmaker, to return her script entitled 'Up Your Ass' (about a man-hating prostitute and a panhandler) that she had shown to him in 1966 in the hope of having it produced.

Unfortunately, Andy had lost it.

And so the constant hassling and stalking began. And ended with a deadly bang.

Warhol survived the tragedy, but Valerie didn't. After her arrest and subsequent release, she moved in and out of mental institutions. On occasions, she persisted to stalk her nemesis and got arrested again. In 1988, at the age of 52, she died embittered and insane.

Yes, an enemy maybe terrifying – but I tell you, hate can the deadliest adversary of all.

(Top, right) Series 15's Andy Warhol Bearbrick (with his self-portrait on its back) is an 'Artist' bear which is hard to find. On its chest is a reproduction of his 1986 painting, 'Repent and sin no more!' Hmmm... was that intended for Valerie?

Valerie pic/info from Wikipedia & newsday.com / Marilyn serigraph painting from francifra.splinder.com

dr. romanelli's cure for the cold

Dr. Romanelli or Darren Romanelli can't cure the sick, but he can definitely offer anyone relief from the cold.

He designs and manufactures jackets – and I'm not just talking about ordinary jackets. I mean... lookit these customized bombers below! Aren't they hot?

The back details are something else. For me, they score an A+++ for form and function.


Tasteful color combinations are accented with striking hues!


The question is, of course, the price. I bet these are gonna cost you...

Dr. Romanelli's retail space cum gallery in Los Angeles called 181 Martel carries the wonderful products you find on his website. But you will also find DRx goods at selected stores around the globe (Paris, Geneva, Berlin, Melbourne, New York, Tokyo, Vancouver, Seoul, London, Sydney, Honolulu, Boston, San Francisco and Hong Kong).

A great deal of the stuff are collaborations with known brands such as Nike (jackets, sweaters, shoes), Looney Tunes (custom toys, streetwear), and Jaeger le Coultre timepieces (jackets with built-in custom wristwatches – which Madonna wears). Aside from designing street fashion, the University of Oregon graduate also creates marketing campaigns (Disney, Fox, Warner Brothers) and manages a LA rock band (Ima Robot).

With a list of credits like that, I bet Dr. Romanelli is always on 24-hour duty.

The newly-released Dr. Romanelli SF Be@rbrick is part of Series 14. Its design is adapted from the scrub suit costume that Romanelli designed for Looney Tunes characters Bugs Bunny and Tweety Bird.

(Jacket pics / info from dr.romanelli.com)

the case of the bogus be@rbrick / part 2

I was leafing through a local fashion magazine when something familiar caught my eye. There it was, hanging across the bare chest of a young, sassy-looking model named Jake Cuenca was a bearbrick (see Bench Underwear print ad below)!

I knew, of course, that there existed no such bear on a chain, and closer scrutiny proved that it was a fake! The rounded hands and feet, the big ears, and the small ribcage were clear indications. Check out my earlier post, 'The Case of the Bogus Be@rbrick / Part 1', for other telltale signs.

Lately, bootleg bearbricks like these seem to be proliferating – I've seen quite a few attached to manbags, keychains and even mobile phone straps!

Don't get me wrong, I don't detest these little imitations. In fact, they're not at all bad-looking. But a fake is still a fake. There's no thrill in owning one, if you ask me. :-)

At the topmost left is the original Series 1 U.S. Flag Be@rbrick, which I shot against a map of the New York City subway system. It was one of the first bears I bought. Back then, I was still clueless about fakes – so I guess I was lucky it was for real.

the be@rbrick behind the mask

Everything about the Seremetis Be@rbrick (right) is intriguing: the white suit that mimics a superhero's garb, the fierce-looking eyes with no pupils, the bat symbol which signals a darkness of character, and the single black glove that hints at a secret physical aberration.

But who in heaven's name – or what the hell– is it?

The designer, Kostas Seremetis (left), is a New York-based painter who is known for his graphic portrayals of comic superheroes and villains... artworks that iconize the eternal battle between good and evil.

Samples of his work depicting what appears to be the Kostas Assassin, a masked samurai character of his own creation, are shown below.

I imagine Seremetis' Be@rbrick to be some sort of cult superhero... or its evil adversary. But which is which – don't ask. It's hard to tell what lies behind a mask.

(The Seremetis Be@rbrick is part of Series 7. Seremetis/Artwork pics from evilmonito.com)

ink blots on bears

Unless you're psychologically disturbed, you don't need to take the Rorschach Test.

But maybe you'd want to. After all, the test mechanics sound fun enough to be a party game! Ten ambiguous ink blots will be shown to you in succession and you're supposed to say what each reminds you of. In the end, expert psychiatrists will determine whether you're nuts or normal.

While the test's validity came into question over time, it continued to be used in clinics and courts of law – e.g., to analyze victims of sexual abuse, to evaluate felons, and to decide which parent should be granted child custody. (I guess for some, taking this test would be no fun at all!)

A Rorschach inkblot is splattered on the face of the Pushead Silver Anniversary Be@rbrick (above, right). The designer, Pushead, a.k.a. Brian Schroeder, is a hardcore punk artist who fronted the band Septic Death and created record labels like Pusmort and Bacteria Sour. His band's CD covers were his artworks, most of which depicted death and skull imagery. [Hmm... did I hear... Rorschach test? :-)]

(Rorschach info from www.csicop.org / Ink blot pic from the Hermann Rorschach Archive & Museum / Pushead info from Wikipedia)

bear as black as soot

This semi-transparent Be@rbrick with a billowy black pattern was designed by a Brooklyn-based artist known in the designer toy community as West One. A rare bear with only 1.08% availability, it was released two years ago as part of Series 10.

I decided to feature it now because I recently saw the paintings of my other artist friend, Popo San Pascual, and they reminded me so much of this bear. They were called the Wig Series, which Popo said were inspired by the swirling lines of curly hair.

When I looked closely at one painting, I noticed that the strokes were far too smooth to have been made by a brush. The artist later revealed to me that it was a 'candle soot' painting.

Picture this: He fastened his canvas onto the ceiling, lit a paraffin candle, and slowly moved the burning wick across the blank surface, creating soft circular strokes of black soot.

"Wouldn't that fade?" I asked him. He answered, "I've sprayed it with varnish..."

Personally, I liked the stark color scheme, and the fact that it was mainly black. Like red, it's a color that almost never fails to make a strong – and lasting – impression.

from hardcourt animal to hardwood art

From the Nike Bear Force One Series comes... the Woody Be@rbrick!

Question: 'What does Nike have to do with wood?'

Answer: The wood board pattern represents the hardcourt (usually made of maple), the arena of basketball greats such as Michael Jordan (Nike Air's image model).

Without the usual Nike logo, this bear looks less of the promotional item that it is and more of a wooden pop sculpture. Isn't that more artful? Thanks, Nike. I like it when Be@rbricks aren't too commercialized.

Speaking of ligneous art: My artist friend from New York, Christina Quisumbing Ramilo, just showed me her new work – a series of totem pole assemblages (right) made of recycled Philippine wood such as yakal, narra, guijo, and ipil.

Christina has always been interested in old-style architecture, and these 'found' objects gave her the chance to venture into interesting compositional excursions. Life-sized jigsaw puzzles, so to speak. The wooden stairs, banisters, and even wood shutters served as the puzzle pieces.

She's putting them on show this month and I think they'll be a hit.

Knock on wood, Christina! :-)

Postscript: You can catch Christina's art in the Group Show, 'Ara Pacis' (Altars of Peace), which will run from April 20 to May 11, 2007 at the West Gallery, 48 West Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines. Other featured artists are Popo San Pascual, Mario Fernandez, & Ava Lugtu.

be@rbrick from sin city

Sin City is a tag name for an urban area that caters to various vices like sex, gambling and drug use. (Uhmm...Las Vegas?)

Frank Miller's film noir-like series of graphic novels with the same title is based on such a setting. One of the protagonists, Marv (below), is a 7-foot tall man with a heavily scarred face and a flattop buzzcut. Always dressed in a trench coat, leather pants and boots, Marv spends his time on the streets doing odd jobs for various people. He suffers from a mental condition that causes him to "get confused",

which is believed to involve short-term memory loss and possibly hallucination. His parole officer supplies him with medication to control his condition, but does nothing that could possibly curb his violent nature. Marv's personal code of honor dictates the repayment of debts and a sort of chivalry towards women. A classic example of a noir anti-hero.

The Sin City bear (above right) is based on the Marv's extremely tough and violent character. (And you thought Be@rbricks were cute and sweet, didn't you?)

(Marv pic and info from Wikipedia)

yo bear & ho babe

Yo! Lots of Be@rbricks out there are designed and produced by hip street wear fashion brands such as Stussy, SSUR, BAPE, Mastermind, and Nike.

Among these is the Series 13 Secret STPL Be@rbrick (right) from Staple Design, a graphic design firm and fashion brand founded by New Yorker Jeff Ng.

Ng and his team have designed for other brands such as Nike, Louis Vuitton/Moet Hennessy, Timberland, Sony Playstation, Puma, Burton Snowboards, Uniqlo and more.

To promote Staples' 10th anniversary, Jeff Ng teamed up with Japanese photographer Yonehara to creates a series of photos starring Japanese porn star Maria Ozawa wearing the 10th Anniversary t-shirt (left).

The X logo (10 years) on Maria's tee is the same one that's on the STPL Be@rbrick. Now doesn't that just give a whole new meaning to these cute little toys? :-)

(Ozawa pic from www.stapledesign.com/jeffstaple)

x-rated be@rbrick

Kids, close your eyes and move on to the next blog! The pic on the left is a Sex Doll Be@rbrick designed by Ukrainian Ruslan Karablin. (Note the bear's lower orifice. :-0)

Karablin is an artist/
designer/curator who founded SSUR (Russ spelled backwards), a popular streetwear line in NYC. Born in Odessa, Ukraine and raised in Brooklyn, New York,

his work was largely influenced by artists Keith Haring and Stussy, inspired by modern pop culture, and centered on sex, politics and protest. He started making t-shirts in 1989 to promote his paintings. Today, SSUR Plus, his Manhattan store, is one important destination for streetwear and street art. Because of guys like Karablin, art and commerce are not only alive and well, but symbiotically co-exist! What a feat!

sparrow turns into a bear!

Isn't it amazing that the movie 'The Pirates of the Carribean' achieved such great critical and box-office success when we know that its inspiration came from a loopy Disney theme park ride and NOT from literary classics such as 'Robinson Crusoe' by Daniel Defoe or 'Treasure Island' by Robert Louis Stevenson? Hmmm... May I be an adoring fan and give full credit to Johnny Depp and his very suave and sparkling performance as Captain Jack Sparrow? Plus his real cool pirate costume by 'Evita/Mission Impossible' wardrobe designer Penny Rose? (Okay, okay, I admit – the visual effects are truly Oscar worthy, too!)

bloody be@rbride

There are two versions of this Be@rbrick – one is spotless and the other splattered with blood. As you can see, I got the bloody one. After all, what good is Kill Bill without the gore?

The yellow jumpsuit worn by Uma Thurman in the movie was inspired by a costume worn by Bruce Lee in his 1978 movie 'Game of Death' (which co-starred Chuck Norris and former Lakers Kareem Abdul Jabbar). Bruce Lee is undoubtedly one of the best action stars of all time. But I'd say the bright outfit looked better on Uma!

The Kill Bill Be@brick is a promotional item for customers who purchased pre-sale tickets to see the film in Japan. Today, one may avail of it commercially only through online auctions.

boo!brick

Jack Skellington, that lovable Pumpkin Prince in Tim Burton's 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' finds his macabre spirit resurrected in this newly released Be@rbrick. Dressed up in pinstripes, with a bat bowtie and embalmer- sewn lips, this spooky Be@rbrick is available in two sizes: 100% (2.6 inches) and 400% (24 inches). So just how big a scare do you want?