I'll be posting 10 Questions with... a number of artists who are taking part in the Aim, Destroy, Transform: Play for Change Toy Show , presented by Medialia Gallery & The Ethyr and taking place November 4-25 2017 in NYC.
Artist/Toy Maker: Reactor-88
Toy: Mini Maori Misfortune Cat
Website: www.reactor88.com
Twitter: @reactor88
Instagram: @reactor88
Facebook: www.facebook.com/reactor88art
Where are you originally from?:
I’m born and raised Los Angeles.
Who is your favorite artist (any artist, any medium)?:
There’s so much great art out there spanning many mediums past and present- it’s way to hard to pick just one. Historically I’m a big fan of the Italian Renaissance, the Dutch Masters, as well as anyone that passed through the Hudson River School (Thomas Cole, Frederic Church, etc.). As far as more contemporary art, I like Ed Ruscha, James Turrell, and Murakami. I’m also a big fan of all the Disney artists like Eyvind Earle and Tyrus Wong.
What was your favorite toy line as a child?:
That would be a toss up between Lego and Star Wars. Side note- I still have all my original Kenner Star Wars toys from when I was a kid.
What's your most prized collectible?:
A box set of vintage Walt Disney mini-card games from the 1940s
What was the last film you watched?:
The last big box-office movie I saw was Wonder Woman (I don’t get out to the theater that often…) I do watch a lot of random movies via Amazon Prime while I’m painting or doing something else productive. The last thing I watched on there was the series Tin Star.
Do you unbox and display or keep MIB (mint in box)?:
Unbox and display of course!
What was the last book you read?:
Vessel by Andrew J. Morgan
Star Trek or Star Wars?:
Star Wars
What motto/creed do you try to live by?:
“One day at a time..."
What was the inspiration behind the piece that you produced for the Aim, Destroy, Transform: Play for Change toy show?:
My piece was inspired by Ta Moko (Maori facial & body scaring/tattoo). I’m a big fan of the art and design of Ta Moko, so I wanted to pay tribute by creating my own stylized representation of it (keeping with the general design cues), that would fit with the Misfortune Cat form.
