‘Go Figure News’ is an art site focusing on art toys of all types. The site was founded in 2014 by American artist, theorist and curator TJ Norris. It hosts news, articles and thought pieces on everything art toy related – well worth bookmarking.

(Picture below of ‘GFN’ head honcho – Mr TJ Norris)

Well, as art toys are on the rise once again in general pop culture we felt it would be a good idea to have a chat with TJ about toys, life, art and ‘Go Figure News’ – read all about it in the Art Talk, below…

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The Soft Vinyl Sydney exhibition is the groundbreaking soft vinyl art toy show happening this weekend in Sydney, Australia. SVS is happening from the 21st and 22nd of January at the ‘Lord Gladstone’ pub in Sydney. Featuring over 30 artists from all over the world taking part. It will be a glorious sight to see. Weird monsters of all imaginable shapes, sizes forms and colors.

And… for the uninitiated soft vinyl is a subset of the general art toy scene. With the artists working in it making their own toys, doing customs of existing ones – or both. Sculptural pop art – to find out more about art toys and sofubi, check out the ‘Art Whore’ piece from last year: What Exactly Are Art Toys And How Can We Critique Them?.

So, with the SVS show happening in less than a week now is the perfect time to find out all about it, from the people involved, by reading the Art Talk interview, below…

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• Produced By = Oltretomba Made in Hell (Not Positive About Country – But Figure Was Shipped from an Address in the Netherlands)
• Figure Name(s) = Oltretomba
• Release Details = ‘Holiday Vomit’  series of mixed vinyl (Unknown Run Quantity)
• Material = Soft Vinyl
• Country of Production = Unknown (But not made in Japan – Going off Smell + Quality)
• Height = 29cm
• No of Parts = 5 (Head, 2 arms + 2 legs)
• Released = Dec 28th 2016
• Sculpt Debut = 6th November 2016
• Release Price = 133 Euro (Shipping Included)
• Genre = Art Toy / Kaiju

Read the full review and pics after the jump…

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Rune Alexandersen is a Danish sculptor, artist and musician who first grabbed our attention thanks to his beautiful toy sculpting work – creating figures which evoke 1990s ‘Playmates Toys’ weirdness. All mutants, slime and monsters.

He has collaborated with Art Whore Approved toy makers ‘Good Leg Toys’ outta Germany and gained lots of fans due to his illustration, traditional art and music – With Rune being a mainstay of the Danish punk scene for years. Most recently playing in renowned death rock act ‘Moth’.

(Picture below of a self portrait by Rune)

Interestingly, Rune calls himself a man of craft. Not an artist… Bringing a very interesting idea to the table. Rune states:

“I don’t really like the word ‘Art’. To me, it’s dead. I doesn’t mean anything anymore – anything and everything can be art:

* A garbage can in a gallery: Art.
* A lampshade covered in dirt: Art
* A shitty painting, by somebody who can’t paint: (Ironic) Art.

I don’t buy into that. I think its about time we discard that term. To me, it has become a word, that is used to legitimize ones taste, as in ”Oh, THAT’s art!” BS.

What I do, I usually refer to as a craft. There are rules to how a picture works: contrasts, rhythm, composition, storytelling and so on. I would never call myself an artist.”

With Rune about to drop a collab art toy with our old friends ‘Good Leg Toys’ outta Germany, and constantly working on art of all types now is the perfect time to get to know Rune, by reading the Art Talk (Craft Talk?) interview, below…

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Ayla Whitney aka ‘Ayla the Caveman’ is an Australian born and based artist creating hyper colored art for the inner weirdo in all of us. She had her debut solo show back in 2015 and has been working on her art at a furious pace ever since – creating paintings, murals, prints, illustration and apparel. With all her work imbued with Ayla’s unique eye.

We stumbled upon her work when out wandering the streets of Redfern, Sydney recently… Popping out from a side alley was a huge hyper colored mural featuring a skull and a rainbow. It was classic, yet somehow different – a digital version is featured above. Just like Ayla.

With Ayla quickly building some major buzz, now is the time to get to know her, by reading the Art Talk interview, below…

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Gus Fink is a commercial artist whose multidisciplinary work all falls within the umbrella of ‘Pop Art’ – and like the Ur God of Pop, Andy Warhol, Gus works in every medium available: sculpting, painting, cartoons, film, clothing design, digital art, indie games and music.

Simply put, Gus is an all round pop art visionary!

Gus and his art came to our attention thanks to the recently released ‘Creeplings’ series of designer toys, a collaborative effort between Gus and his equally talented wife Emi Boz – and just like all works that Gus is involved in, they are well worth checking out.

(Picture of some of the ‘Creeplings’ series of blind box art toys, below)

With Gus constantly pushing his art and himself, working on project after project, now is the perfect time to get to know the man and his art, by reading the Art Talk interview below…

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Brad Lonergan aka ‘MONS’ aka ‘LON’ is an Australian artist, tattooist, designer, writer and model making enthusiast. Brad is exactly the sort of artist that ‘Art Whore’ loves – he can work in any medium, in any style. With his signature look mixing hip hop flow, outsider art attitude and Australian soul. Work that evokes Big Daddy Roth as much as Norman Lindsay and classic era graffiti.

It is obvious when looking at his creations that Brad has devoted his entire soul and being to creation, becoming a veritable artistic workhouse as a result.

Refreshingly, when asked why he decided to pursue art as a lifetime endeavour, Brad doesn’t mention anything except a desire to create, stating laconically that…

“I always have wanted to make things, but itsa fuckload more work building submarines than it is painting pictures of them!!!!“

(Picture below of Brad tattooing)

With Brad recently returned to tattooing after a brief sabbatical, and constantly making and creating, now is the perfect time to get to know the powerhouse himself, by reading the art talk below…

*Editor’s note: Brad types like he talks, so we have left his answers unedited to preserve his patois.*

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There are your run of the mill writers and then there are guys like PEACE.

PEACE does it all: trains, walls, canvases, stickers… hell, he’d write on anything. In any style. In any way. At any damn time. And refreshingly, he is unashamed to both follow the usual rules of graffiti and break them as he sees fit. He will paint a train one night, then host his own art show the next. He will gain major cred through one name, then drop it and move onto another to push himself.

(Picture below of some art by PEACE)

With ole PEACE constantly moving, changing and as discussed, writing; now is the perfect time to get to know the lad, by reading the Art Talk interview below… Keep reading →

Michael Bennett aka ‘Ink Mike’ is a young Australian artist and designer fresh on the scene yet already gaining fans, press and a bursting at the seams portfolio. His work is technical, fun, vibrant and flowing over with Mike’s boundless personality.

(Picture below of some art by ‘Ink Mike’)

Mike talks of creating from a very young age, specifically drawing to impress classmates at primary school. When asked for a pivotal artistic experience, Mike mentions being drawn to Alex Pardee during his teen years, and lately drawing major inspiration from Australia’s own ‘Boy Wolf’:

“Alex Pardee because of his emotional rawness. His works’ insanity taught me that as long as my art was an extension of my personality then I could do no wrong.

Boywolf has taught me that a brand can be a complete extension of your personality, and to never to create something because you think other will like it or it will sell, but because its what you wanted to make; and basically just go nuts till they dig what you’re doing.”

With Mike new to the scene, yet producing art at an amazing pace – now is the perfect time to get to know the man, his art and life, by reading the Art Talk interview, below….

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Russ Morland is a Canadian based artist and tattooist who became possessed by the seemingly benign creature LURK years ago. Scientists are not sure of the origin of LURK. Or whether it brings ill will or positivity to the world. All that is known is that when under the power of LURK there is no more Russ. No more tattooing. Only LURK.

(Picture below of some art by LURK)

With LURK showing no sign of abandoning Russ’ body and psyche any time soon, now is the perfect time to get to know this artistically prevalent entity from parts unknown, by reading the Art Talk interview, below…

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